I first became interested in American democracy and politics in high school, namely sophomore year AP Government. Yes, the lesson was interesting, but it wasn’t what sparked my attention in the first place.
My teacher liked to make us argue controversial issues, many of which we shouldn’t have been arguing in the first place. We were debating whether or not systematic racism exists on this particular day, and the kid sitting behind me said, “I truly believe that white people are the most oppressed in this nation.”
I like to relate this story because it was on that day that I made the decision that I would never be as dumb or racist as that kid. I started reading the news, doing research, and debating with anyone who was willing to debate with me.
Only a few months later, I decided to abandon my aim of becoming an engineer in favour of pursuing a degree in political science. It was a refreshing change. It’s something I’m quite enthusiastic about and enjoy talking about with people. But, as much as I enjoy my study and learning about politics, there are moments when I wish I could have just ignored the political culture around me.
Everything that has happened in the previous several weeks has exhausted me. When the draught opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson was leaked, my heart broke, and I’m quite sure it shattered again following the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
My rights are being taken away from me, and children are dying in this country once again, and it appears like the only thing I can do is cry. And these are only two instances from recent news cycles – there are a plethora of other depressing stories to select from.
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I recall scrolling through people’s Instagram stories the day following the leaked Supreme Court judgement and seeing so many people celebrating the potential overturning of Roe v. Wade. I had cried all night because I was terrified and enraged. Meanwhile, folks I followed — and possibly formerly considered friends — were ecstatic that the court might decide in their favour.
To be honest, I battled with this news, and I still do, because I watched it unfold over time. This wasn’t unexpected, and it didn’t come as a shock to me or many others.
I’m aware of how that occurred. I understand how that could have been prevented. After reading the draught opinion, I’m concerned about other unenumerated rights that everyone thought were impregnable being overturned.
Maybe I would have been okay if it hadn’t been for the leaked draught opinion, but that wasn’t the case. The assaults continued unabated. It took me crying in the Chicago O’Hare airport while reading news headlines about previous shootings to realise that the rage I’d been harbouring wasn’t good. I get that not having to worry about politics or current events is a luxury, but maintaining our mental health is especially crucial in high-stress times like today.
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I used to believe that in order to be a good student and a good person, I needed to know everything that was going on in America. That is simply not the case.
Without understanding every last aspect of the horror that occurs in this country on a daily basis, I can still be sensitive and knowledgeable. I’ll never want to know as much about tomorrow’s heinous deeds as I do about Uvalde. This information will be with me for the rest of my life.
If you’re tired and upset about what’s going on, I’ve found that limiting the number of articles I read and turning off Instagram and Twitter has made a huge difference. Even unfollowing people who don’t share my beliefs, no matter how close we were before, has helped me become lot more sane. I am all for debate and having an open mind, but when it comes to human rights and lives, I have little tolerance for anything but empathy and understanding.
I’ve been told I’m a pessimist and cynical. It’s true, and it’s even truer now that I’m in politics. Even if the glass is half empty, I want to feel happy at the end of the day. I wasn’t happy with all the material I was continuously reading, and I understand that today. It does that to a person to pay so close attention to the American news cycle and its political repercussions.
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Because America has a history of doing nothing when action is required, I now know what I must do if something catastrophic occurs, as it inevitably will. Keeping a sliver of my sanity at the end of the day will make these trying times a lot easier to bear.
