Before we begin, it is important to note that this is not a normal election. For starters, we are in the midst of a global pandemic, which is forcing many people to vote by mail. Our current president, Donald Trump, has been impeached. The Democratic candidate, Joe Biden, lacks popularity among many young Democrats, creating a divide within the Democratic party. The goal of this piece is to inform the readers about the two candidates using factual evidence, so that the readers can choose who they believe is the better candidate for the upcoming election.
On Tuesday, September 29, 2020, President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden debated for the first time, discussing climate change and white supremacy. Moderator Chris Wallace asked Trump his view on whether greenhouse gas emissions contribute to global warming. Trump would not give a clear answer and avoided the question. In 2016, Trump did not sign the Paris Climate Agreement, but in the past four years has not come up with a plan to combat climate change. When asked about how science backs up climate change, he has said, “Well, I don’t think science knows, actually” (Washington Post). Although Biden also does not support the Paris Climate Agreement, he does have a two trillion dollar plan for the U.S. to transition to clean energy. On Biden’s website, there is a page dedicated to climate change with a concise outline of his plan. With clear data that the planet is warming at 20 times the rate it has historically, it is bewildering that the President not only does not have a plan but still actively endorses coal as an energy source. It does not take more than a quick Google search to see that the Arctic Ocean is losing 13% of its sea ice every decade, and that when all the ice melts, sea levels will rise by 230 feet wiping out every major coastal city in the world.
When white supremacy was mentioned, Chris Wallace asked Trump if he would publicly condemn white supremacists. Trump did not answer Wallace’s question. After Wallace repeatedly asked him, Trump finally answered saying, “Proud Boys, stand back and stand by.” This was not the President’s typical dog whistle to the far right; it was an outright call to action and the Proud Boys, a white supremacy group, took this as an endorsement from Trump, changing their logo to include the slogan by the next morning. The fact that our President cannot even denounce white supremacy shows the Jewish community and communities of color that this President not only does not support them but he openly backs fascist, racist groups.
After repeatedly downplaying the virus, on October 1st, Trump and the First Lady tested positive for COVID-19. During the pandemic, many doctors and scientists have criticized him for shutting down the country too late, while also breaking many of the rules put into place to contain the virus. He has held rallies without masks, refused to wear masks several times, and not taken the proper safety precautions to combat COVID-19. Once he tested positive, he made a speedy recovery due to his personal medical team, receiving access to the same drugs early on that ICU patients receive as a last effort. This is not how any other American would be treated. After days in the hospital, Trump then tweeted, “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life,” failing to consider the 210,000 Americans who have lost their lives due to this deadly virus. His careless and ignorant behavior encourages his followers to live their lives as if a global pandemic is not important. Biden on the other hand, proudly wears his mask and makes the American people’s health and safety a priority.
Finally, the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg leaves an open seat on the Supreme Court. As students at an all-girls school, we should care deeply about the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett and understand how crucial it is that this new appointee will not overturn prior decisions on women or LGBTQ+ rights. Barrett’s views come directly from her strict Catholic upbringing, and she even stated that she cannot separate her faith from her work and that she is “obliged to adhere to [the Catholic] Church’s teaching on moral matters” (Amy Coney Barrett). A founding principle of our country is the separation of church and state, and by appointing Barrett to the Supreme Court, President Trump is bringing in someone who will self-admittedly take her Catholic views into account when deciding cases that will affect all Americans. Most importantly, it is likely she would vote to overturn Roe v Wade, and at a minimum would allow states to write ever-increasing regulations that essentially prevent women from obtaining abortions. There is ample evidence that these laws will have the same impact as overturning Roe v Wade. There are only five abortion clinics in the entire state of Alabama, making it nearly impossible to obtain one for women outside of metropolitan areas. What these lawmakers do not care to notice is the necessary healthcare these clinics also provide for thousands of women: access to affordable birth control, mammograms, STD testing, cancer screening and prevention, and more.
On November third, please use your vote (or encourage your parents) to not only think about your life but also the lives of minorities, low-income citizens, and women. Whether or not you will be directly affected by the outcome of the election, understand that your classmates, neighbors, teachers, etc, will be. Care about their lives and also the life of our dying planet.
