College students have always been anxious about going out into “the real world.” But it’s especially scary now that President-elect Donald Trump will be leading a good amount of it.
Trump is repealing environmental regulations, the Affordable Care Act, giving big, rich companies a huge tax cut and putting in place a cabinet that doesn’t believe in the Voting Rights Act or public schools. Long story short, there is a lot of work to do to ensure we do not repeat historical tragedies.
And while posting on Facebook or Twitter is easy, it has little effect unless you possess the @realDonaldTrump handle. Bruins who intend to stay at the forefront of politics over the next four years should focus their efforts locally. This means fighting national issues on local levels.
There’s no time for procrastination when working toward the issues you are passionate about in the real world. Getting started now helps ensure that you maintain a sustained level of engagement over the next four years.
California is one of the bluest states in the country, voting liberally in recent elections. This is politically uncontested, and has potential to set an example for the rest of the nation.
Additionally, the University of California system consists of students from other states, which means their engagement with their local governments would lead to increased movement toward progressive issues. Swing states – like Nevada, Florida and Ohio – often draw close calls during elections for both nominees and policies. This means that, in these states, many people are waging wars against divisive issues like immigration, abortion and environmental law that would be set for a certain future without such engagement.
But all students have a voice and the potential to take an active role guiding forward progression by engaging locally.
There are a number of ways to do so. March and demonstrate. Keep the momentum alive and keep the message going in your community, like the members of Bruins Against Sexual Harassment for instance. While sexual assault is a national issue, BASH has taken an active role addressing the issue on a local front, by challenging the assumed tolerance for sexual violence on UCLA campus. By specifically demanding the administration fire Gabriel Piterberg, a professor accused of sexual harassment, both the students and administration can set examples for the nation as a whole.
“If administration thinks the protests are going to stop, they’re wrong,” said Zeke Trautenberg, a Spanish and Portuguese graduate student, head steward of United Auto Workers Local 2865, member of BASH and one of the protesters involved. “We are going to keep fighting.”
We can fight sexual violence, and other national issues like police brutality, the threat on women’s rights and racism directly on a local level.
To illustrate, let’s set up a quick example. I am an LA native, but let’s pretend for a moment that I am from Ohio, I am pro-choice and I truly believe I should be able to make my own decisions about my body. There are several actions I could take.
Writing a letter is old-school, no one does this anymore – which is why it should be done. Writing a letter to Ohio Gov. John Kasich detailing frustrations with the anti-abortion bill he passed that prohibits abortion to mothers with 20-week pregnancy or more, with no regards to the cause of the pregnancy itself – which includes rape – unless it poses a serious risk to the mother’s health, grabs attention. It also takes more effort to physically throw a letter into the trash bin than with the click of a button.
Calling district or state offices to converse over the phone can also prove effective whether they answer or not. If Kasich’s office were to receive a slew of phone calls about the anti-abortion bill, they are more likely to take notice and take action – even if that action is to call their higher-ups in the District of Columbia to ask if they’ve received the same pattern in calls.
Bringing people together and moving them into town hall meetings can be just as effective. This brings a whole new dimension to the conversation because the possibility of seeing Kasich in person guarantees they at the very least acknowledge and listen to your message.
Certainly, while posting to Facebook spreads the word quickly, it tends to spread to those with similar viewpoints. Activists need to shift away from focusing on awareness and more toward action. Students can do more than just spread the word. They can give up an hour a day to pen a letter or attend a city government meeting.
There’s a lot at stake, so work to make your state a model of what the federal government can do. Push progressive causes at your state and local level – environmental reform, progressive taxes, a higher minimum wage, ending gerrymandering and stopping mass incarceration. And maybe someday you’ll be able to write Facebook posts about our success.
—
Read more Daily Bruin coverage of the presidential inauguration, along with analysis of California and federal policy under the Trump Administration:
