12 Nov Mexican American Young Woman Calls Election ‘a Punch in the Face’

“Trump boasted 34 felony counts; 25 accusations of sexual misconduct, including rape; four bankruptcies; two impeachments; and one incitement of an insurrection. … Yet somehow, he emerged victorious.” (“Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0. license)

Commentary, America Leon

Donald Trump has positioned himself as the candidate for hatred since 2016, with a platform built on racist, misogynistic, homophobic, and anti-immigrant rhetoric. For me, a young Mexican American woman, the outcome of the 2024 election was more than shocking; it was a punch in the face to me and all my loved ones.

Trump boasted 34 felony counts; 25 accusations of sexual misconduct, including rape; four bankruptcies; two impeachments; and one incitement of an insurrection. Aside from an abhorrent record that made him glaringly unfit for the presidency, it was equally baffling that he amassed more votes than one of the most qualified presidential candidates in recent history, a woman with over 20 years of experience working in government.

Given that she had previously served as a district attorney, attorney general, senator, and vice president, Kamala Harris’s record and resume surpassed Trump’s in all substantive metrics. Yet somehow, he emerged victorious.

The idea of a second Trump presidency seemed unfathomable. He was a 78-year-old convicted felon who left office in 2020 with incredibly low public favorability and was regarded as one of the worst presidents in American history, but the results were starkly clear as more battleground states turned red on election night. My heart sank at the commencement of Trump’s victory speech, and I thought of my 11-year-old self who feared for the safety of my friends and family in 2016.

>>More from the author:

‘My Simple Existence Is Political’: Why Voting Matters to Me at 19<<<

I was perplexed at how millions of people could willingly overlook Trump’s long list of crimes, abuses of power, business failures, obstruction of justice, and flagrant disregard for democracy. Even more so, I was confused by his supporters’ insistence that their primary motivation for voting for him was “the economy.”

In this consequential election, millions of Americans effectively voted against their own interests, electing a candidate whose economic policy plans — consisting of tax cuts only benefiting corporations and wealthy elites, as well as tariffs on imported goods that very well could drive inflation and hike prices for consumers — had been disapproved of by 23 Nobel Prize-winning economists.

More than half of the American people voted for a candidate who has stripped women of their right to privacy and life-saving healthcare. A candidate who threatened to dismantle the Department of Education, which would jeopardize the future of millions of Americans who rely on federal assistance to pursue higher education, among many other consequences. A candidate who promised to carry out mass deportations that would separate millions of families living and working here, contributing trillions of dollars to the U.S. economy.

Whether it be a resounding lack of media literacy, the spread of disinformation, or blatant hatred that resulted in this outcome, the more than 74 million Americans who voted for him demonstrated a divide that goes beyond politics. This election and some people’s willingness to put the “economy” above the many social issues and the rights of real people that were at stake is an issue of morality and privilege.

Still, I feel for those who voted for Trump and will be disillusioned by the president-elect, those who will continue to fall victim to misinformation due to inadequate education, those who were forced to cast a vote they did not agree with, and those who will come to realize that he did not have their best interest at hand.

The outcome of this election is a tremendous loss for women, immigrants, students, the middle and lower classes, people with disabilities, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and the environment. Already, I have seen hateful language spread online toward women and Black Americans, with phrases like “your body, my choice” circulating across social media.

Despite the rampant misogyny and racism Trump and his administration will surely perpetuate or the fear and disappointment we may be experiencing at this time, we must continue to mobilize within our communities to further social justice efforts and foster a freer world for all Americans.

Kamala Harris said it best in her concession speech: “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize, and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice and the future that we all know we can build together.”