Justin Greenman | Whether your “side” wins or loses, open dialogue must triumph
It is no secret that the 2020 presidential election has been one of, if not the most divisive elections in American history. Occurring in the context of a global pandemic and during a time of great domestic and international socioeconomic unrest, it is expected that about half of America will be happy by the outcome, or at least happy that the alternative did not win, and about half of America is going to be unhappy. What many are likely to agree on, according to a recent survey, is that after this election, win or lose, anger is the way to be and that violence is therefore justified. A YouGov poll of 1,505 voters recently found that 56% said they expect to see "an increase in violence as a result of the election." This disturbing statistic should leave us as college students, voters, and participants in the American political process worried about the future of this country and its politics.