On the evening of Nov. 5, right before the polls closed, I sat myself down in front of the television to watch coverage of the 2024 presidential election. Just a few hours earlier, I had voted in person, filling in the little ovals on my ballot with wet black ink, an unsettling feeling already sinking in.
After my ballot was scanned and accepted, I took an “I Voted” sticker from the table nearby and shoved it in my pocket rather than sticking it to my shirt. Later, it struck me that in doing so, I was displaying my lack of hope for what was to come, and that emotion only stood to worsen. I tried to fold laundry as the news anchors animatedly detailed the number of votes rolling in, but my focus faded as the map of the United States became stained with red.
Nearly a month later, I have come to realize how difficult it is to focus on only one political event, to come to terms with its gravity and keep yourself as informed as possible. All this and more while you mourn victims of violence perpetrated by your own country, battle the guilt of everyday life getting in the way of your ability to be active in social change, and drown in worries about the future.
It is so incredibly taxing on our bodies and minds, and fatigue is an inevitable symptom. Gathering the strength to continue and the space to heal is yet another struggle, but it is perhaps the most important commitment of all. We need to forge on, now more than ever.
The implications of a second Trump presidency will be severe, and the effects of the decisions made during his term will be long lasting. I, like many others, were especially concerned about how either presidential candidate would shape the state of geopolitics and United States’ foreign policy. As the results of the electoral college took shape on election night, the rest of the world was not put on pause — no matter how much it felt that way.
Monday, Nov. 4, just a day before the polls opened in the United States, at least 20 people were killed in Northern Gaza. An Israeli airstrike in North Gaza claimed the lives of mostly women and children who were seeking shelter after being evacuated from their homes. On Tuesday, another bombing killed ten people, including four children and two women. Northern Gaza had been under siege for almost a month at that point, and the IDF’s assault on those seeking refuge there has only worsened since.
The United States has funneled 17.5 billion dollars into the Israeli Defense Forces since the war began, and American support for Israel will undoubtedly continue under a Trump presidency. A self-proclaimed “protector of Israel,” Trump and his administration will most likely step back from attempting to collaborate with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and allow for the Israeli government to dictate all military operations. We don’t need to guess what the outcome of that decision would be.
It has been well established that the United States’ support of Israel is a bipartisan political issue; both Democrat and Republican politicians tend to lean pro-Israel. No matter who won the presidential election, America was certain to provide continuous aid to Israel and remain an international political ally.
Under a Trump presidency, there are more questions than there are answers about the new administration’s plans for when the conflict ends — but I am certain that no matter what, these aims will be dangerous. However, plenty of polices and goals have been laid out for the future of the United States by Trump, and with the House and Senate under Republican control, they aren’t just pipe dreams.
It is impossible for us to handle processing the constantly-moving nature of politics as individuals, so finding community is crucial. Healing from the damages of digesting political violence and considering what is to come can only be done with substantial support; it is not a solitary act. Processing and taking care of one another is what sustains social change, and only when strengthening bonds with people in our lives and making new connections can we begin to heal.
