There was a time when American politics was, above all else, civil. There was a time when college campuses were dependable bastions of liberal ideals.
Unfortunately, those times have passed.
In this election, voters have been presented with democracy itself on the ballot. In the face of this, the student body of Fairfield University has remained shockingly apathetic, and, at times, shockingly conservative. Many will not bother to vote this year, and may never vote in an election for as long as they live. Many do not remember the values Fairfield believes in as a Catholic school.
So, to all those students who say they don’t care about politics or don’t know enough about it to vote responsibly, I offer you my humble opinion and a desperate plea to do the right thing. If you won’t vote for yourself, vote for your neighbors, and vote for your country.
Donald Trump is not only unfit for office, he is simply the inferior candidate.
Under the Trump administration, the economy staggered in the face of COVID-19. More debt was added in his four years than under any other administration. Under the Biden administration, unemployment is at the lowest levels it has been in the last 50 years. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has already begun to transform the face of America. There is no reason to think this will not continue under a new Democratic government.
Under the Trump administration, environmental protections were stripped away and protected lands were diminished. The very opposite has been practiced and can be further expected from the Democrats.
Under the direction of Trump-appointed judges, the Dobbs decision took away abortion protection from millions, giving the government control over women’s bodies. This decision’s precedent could have wide-reaching effects on relatively new rights, such as same-sex marriage. Under an energized Democratic administration, these rights could see strengthened protections and even hope for enshrinement in the Constitution.
Under the Trump administration, this country played nice with foreign dictators and autocrats of all types and spat in the face of our most trusted allies. This will not be the case with a strengthened Democratic administration.
In this election, however, policy is not the most significant matter. Character is of the utmost importance.
Donald Trump is a man who openly admires Vladimir Putin, privately admires Adolf Hitler and thinks the Confederacy may have had a point. He is a man who pays to sleep with pornstars and has been held legally responsible for a sexual assault that he refuses to apologize for. He is a man who avoided the Vietnam draft and yet mocks American war heroes for taking wounds, suffering in captivity and dying for their country. He is a man who took out a full-page advertisement calling for the execution of the Central Park Five. Donald Trump openly insults minorities, demonizes immigrants and privately laughs at his own supporters. He is a man who encouraged an insurrection in the Capital and attempted to overturn an American election. He publicly disagrees with the fundamental ideas of the Constitution, upon which American freedom depends. He was twice impeached by the House of Representatives. He is a convicted criminal.
If you vote for Donald Trump, you are not voting for his economic plans alone, or voting solely for his foreign policy. You are voting for the man.
If you say you support family values and you still vote for Donald Trump, then you are a liar. If you say you support the military and you still vote for Donald Trump, then you are deluded. If you say you are a Christian or a supporter of democracy and you still vote for Donald Trump, then you are a hypocrite. If you have a sister or a mother or a daughter who you love, or if you are a woman yourself, and you still vote for Donald Trump, then you are heartless. If you have family or friends who are members of the LGBTQ community and you still vote for Donald Trump, then you are saying, at least privately, that you do not believe they are due the same fundamental rights all human beings deserve.
If you believe that a man like Donald Trump shouldn’t hold the highest office in this country, then you are obligated by your duty to the nation and the Constitution to vote against him. You are obligated by your duty to your own conscience to do the right thing.
Fairfield University likes to tout the Jesuit values that it claims to uphold. Perhaps the most powerful value ever expressed is simpler.
“Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
If you have any love in your heart for your fellow citizens, particularly those most vulnerable, go out and vote for democracy.
This year, I’ll be voting for Kamala Harris.
