By: Jacob Polacheck (’18)
After an election that shocked the nation, SDJA students were left clamoring over an election cycle like no other. Donald Trump’s stunning win marked hope for some students, while also inciting fear among many others. As Casey Kroll (‘17) commented, “The Democrats did not lose because of anything other than they picked a horrendous candidate.”
Kroll, with his conservative ideas, disagreed with both candidates and announced that he would not be supporting either candidate in this election, although he was too young to vote anyways. Jenna Friedman (‘18) was among those who “didn’t like either candidate.”
After looking to entice the public in three different presidential debates, neither candidate took full advantage of the opportunity and many students felt as if both candidates hurt their chances in the debates. Sadly, many saw the debates as pure entertainment and felt that neither candidate really focused on the issues. Tova Winick (‘17) said, “It had nothing to do with politics and it was like two sharks fighting each other.”
Following Trump’s victory in which he received 290 electoral votes, anti-Trump protests erupted in major cities such as Philadelphia, Chicago, and Atlanta. Minority groups became fearful that the hate speech legitimized by Trump’s election would threaten their rights. However, some criticized the protests since “the election is already done,” as Moriah Seymann (‘19) states.
This election may be finished, but it is clear that after nearly two years of campaigning, the surprises never stop coming.
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