After this especially tumultuous – and what many have described as ugly – election cycle, the votes are finally in. Republican candidate Donald Trump surprised most by winning the election and subsequently being named president-elect.
In a letter to the campus, Blackburn College President John Comerford said, “Some members of our community are likely very happy with the results, while others are likely very concerned about what the voters’ choices mean for them and their futures.” The day after the election, Blackburn held a meeting during which students and professors could voice their concerns and discuss the future of the nation. The meeting was led by political science professor Dr. Laura Wiedlocher, chair of philosophy and religion Dr. Carter Aikin and criminal justice professor Dr. Shelly Peffer. Many concerned professors and students filed into the Olin Lecture Hall to ask questions about the future. “We should expect a change in agenda, but it is important to remember that we have checks and balances for a reason,” said Wiedlocher. Aikin added, “At Blackburn, we deeply care about the success of every single student and no matter who the president is, that isn’t changing.”
Although some are upset by the outcome of the election, those that voted for Trump couldn’t be happier. Freshman business major R. Dylan Newell said, “I was overjoyed when Trump was elected; I think he will make a good president because I believe that everything in the world comes back to economic issues, and he understands those issues. I really believe that he can create an environment that can make it profitable for business to produce things in America, and then move our economy from a bunch of consumers and service-sector workers to producers, making things again and making things great again.”
In his victory speech Trump encouraged the healing of the rift in the nation and said, “Now it’s time for America to bind the wounds of division; have to get together… As I’ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign, but rather an incredible and great movement made up of millions of hardworking men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their families.” Trump’s anti-political correctness platform helped rally grassroots voters like freshman business major Lane Depratt, who said, “Trump isn’t a politician; he can’t be bought and he says what’s on his mind, which isn’t always a good thing but he does tell us what he actually thinks and I believe we need some honesty around these hard times.”
Although some are happy, President-elect Trump’s rhetoric and policies both before and during the election have left many very upset. “I can’t believe it; I think it’s a travesty to truth,” said Chair of English & Communications Dr. Naomi Crummey. These feelings were amplified for many when it was revealed that Secretary Clinton had won the popular vote by over one million. This led to protests all over the U.S. In a September interview with Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, Trump claimed, “I am not a racist; in fact, I am the least racist person that you’ve ever encountered.” However, his campaign seemed to promote racism which has left many concerned. Mark Potok, a spokesperson for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a nonprofit dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, said, “[On the day after the election] we’ve seen a dramatic upsurge in both hate crimes and then lesser hate incidents, things like Muslim kids being bullied, Muslim women having their hijabs torn off their faces, similar kinds of incidents.”
In May, Trump was endorsed by the Virginia Rebel Brigade Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and by the Klan’s official newspaper, The Crusader. The Justice Department also sued Trump Management Corporation in 1973 for racial discrimination and refusing to rent to black tenants. “It makes me feel illegitimate that America would vote for a man that has been actively racist against me and people like me,” said junior criminal justice major Michael Taylor. Trump’s running mate and Indiana Governor Mike Pence supported a constitutional amendment to ban marriage equality. He called it “God’s Plan” and said, “Societal collapse was always brought about following an advent of the deterioration of marriage and family.” Pence is also a supporter of conversion camps and in 2000 proposed a plan to divert funding from HIV prevention to conversion therapy, a psychological treatment or spiritual counseling designed to change a person’s sexual orientation that is illegal in five states and Washington D.C. Sophomore communication major Sebastian Hitzelburger said, “As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I’m scared. Trump’s campaign was built on bullying minority communities and half of America resonated with that campaign but I’m also hopeful because I know our community is strong and will fight back against Trump and his hate and we will come out stronger because of it.”
Some Blackburn community members did not want to vote for either major party, and Macoupin County had a substantial turnout for third party candidates. According to County Clerk Pete Duncan’s election website, more than seven percent of eligible voters voted third party or write-in. This is more than 1300 of Macoupin’s 22,000 voters, and more than double 2012’s third party votes. Psychology professor Dr. Kevin Karl explained, “Many individuals who pay attention to what Republican and Democratic parties have been standing for in the last couple of years haven’t agreed with it and have found themselves leaning more towards the libertarian or green parties and tend to agree more with these parties’ ideologies.” Blackburn’s mock election also showed how popular third party candidates were with Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein netting over 20 percent of the vote. “I didn’t like either primary candidate and voting with your conscience is never a bad thing,” said junior science education major Johnathon Shaw.