Last Tuesday was unlike any other Tuesday
in our family. On a normal Tuesday, I and my husband will have dinner while
watching TV, glued in to one of our favorite TV shows, The Middle. November 8,
2016 was different though – it was USA’s Election Day.
At 7 PM, some polls on the East Coast
closed, some at 8 PM. We were watching
in anticipation how the two Presidentiables, Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump, fared
in every county, in every state, switching from CNN (a Democratic-leaning station – as they
said) and Fox News (Republican, again as they said). As a Filipino, it was
amusing to witness another nation’s election process, much more the American’s.
In the Philippines, every vote counts, leaders are elected through “popular
votes.” However, in the States, the next
American leader will win presidency through “Electoral Votes.” A candidate needs to get at least 270
electoral votes out of the 538. (Please
see video for the comparison and difference – Popular Vote versus Electoral
Vote).
It was a long Tuesday night, while we
patiently wait for TV anchors to give
election updates. The experience was comparable to watching sports, we were
keeping scores, the game was so close and it was very exciting. However, what’s
at stake has much more weight – not just a Lombardi trophy or a World Series
Title, or plain prestige and bragging rights. The future of America is at stake.
As more electoral votes came in, we knew
who has the upper hand, It was not anybody’s ball game now. Trump is more
likely to win and he did! Trump was declared America’s 45th
president.
I did not have any clear side because I am not a US voter. I do not have any political
inclination at the moment. But as one of the 4 Million Filipino immigrants living in America, I know that this election
results can define our future, it can affect the future
of my child (future children). Trump has been accused a lot of names – sexist, racist,
bully, narcissist. All or some of that may be true or maybe not. But as an
immigrant, I hope everyone in this country will have a fair share of what America has to offer
for citizens and immigrants alike, for white people or brown or black skinned, for the rich and for the poor. I hope that there will not be a day
when I will wish to have a different skin color, a different nationality or maybe a
different religion, to be able to feel secured.
At the end, like the rest of
America, I want to see this country to make progressive change under Donald
Trump’s lead. Like Hillary Clinton said in her concession speech, “I’m hoping [Donald Trump] will be a
successful president for all Americans... we owe him an open mind and a chance to lead.”
On that note, Good Luck Mr. President (President-elect).
Comments