“Not that Bad” isn’t Good Enough

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the following editorial are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Patriot Post staff, adviser, the LCHS faculty or administration, or GISD.My dearest America,

I’m afraid you are settling, and frankly, I am tired of it. Before and immediately after the 2016 presidential election, most of what I heard regarding Trump was disgust and anger for his election, and all the things that came afterwards. However, more and more frequently I am just hearing that he is “not that bad” and that it “could be worse,” which is a dangerous way of thinking.

When I hear things like this, it makes me think that you would genuinely not be surprised if he did something worse. You think of the things he is doing, and then you consider all the things he could possibly do because of the way he is, and you settle for it. That’s how bad it is. You are subconsciously expecting him to do even more negative things during his presidency, so you are just grateful that it hasn’t progressed that far…yet.

In what universe should we be grateful that our president isn’t doing anything worse than he already is? Why are we excusing all the deplorable things that he IS doing, just because there are a million other awful things that he COULD be doing? Travel bans, firing government officials for not doing what he wants, withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, banning transgender people from serving in the military, attempting to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), working to strip healthcare away from millions of people, and attempting to shut down news organizations who are reporting the truth are just a few horrible things your president has done to destroy anything that actually helps people. That’s not bad enough for you? What exactly would be destructive enough for you to finally recognize it and do something about it? I am definitely nervous to hear the answer.

You cannot just ignore what is happening and hope that it gets better at some point because it won’t happen. By remaining silent, you are only reinforcing the idea that Trump can do whatever he wants, no matter how discriminatory or exclusive. This entire situation of just letting him do whatever he wants is the creation of world’s biggest bystander effect. I’m sure many people do WANT change, but they are hoping that Congress will do something to stop him. Well, surprise! The House of Representatives and the Senate are both controlled primarily by the GOP, which means change is not likely anytime soon.

The fact of the matter is that he IS that bad. He is doing unspeakable things and you are excusing it. It only seems like it’s “not that bad” when it doesn’t affect you personally, and that is not the way our country should be thinking. We are a country built on the unity of many cultures and ways of life, and we should acknowledge the problems occurring for everyone instead of writing them off as “could be worse.” Do not settle, America. Recognize your worth, and demand better.

Start accepting that this is not good enough, and do not cross your fingers that it won’t get worse. Yes, this is what you are stuck with for a while. No, you do not have to be okay with it. Stop dismissing the magnitude of how immoral and wrong every act of his presidency has been, and make your standards significantly higher.

Sincerely,

Hailey Grizzaffi, Reporter