Opinion

A Letter to the Complacent American

Loading

Dear America, Arkansas and students and staff of John Brown University,

I am Ria Brown, account executive at Veracity PR Strategies. I write this letter to you on behalf of Veracity in the hopes that it encourages and inspires your heart, which we believe remains American, no matter what befalls our nation.

We are divided. Without a doubt. In the current times of the United States of America, we live in a nation divided — by political party, by race, by gender, by religion and by the physical distance that must exist between us. It feels, to many, that the world has turned on its head and nothing has remained the same, but yet time has continued to tick and the 2020 election has sprung itself upon us without hesitation nor consideration of the state of our nation.

As if a global pandemic, a massive social revolution and countless natural disasters were not enough, we citizens are now in a predicament. It seems to me that those who have opinions regarding the two major candidates in this election hold to them rigorously, while those who do not would much rather prefer to abstain from voting altogether because the political and moral tug-of-war feels far too great to reconcile with.

Perhaps you fall into this category. You don’t feel that either candidate would make a suitable president or help America in the slightest. You don’t even feel that either of the men competing in a race to lead our entire nation are decent people. You are afraid. You are torn. You are at a loss.

Vote anyway. You heard me. Vote anyway. I implore you: throw yourself into research, thoroughly examine your own beliefs and morals, make a decision to the best of your ability and vote anyway. Why, you say? Because now is the time that our voices must be heard the loudest! Not for Trump, not for Biden, but for the unity of what we call the United States of America. Our founding fathers knew more than their fair share of trials, tribulations and fears. I believe that in a time of turmoil, we must look at the past for a hint of direction for the future.

We know that a house divided against itself cannot stand. While we have no redcoats knocking at our doors, we do have division. I believe that division is our enemy, and the fight against it must be treated with grave solemnity. If we allow this election to cause irreparable division, we are putting our nation at stake. That is why I believe that in 2020, to vote is to fight for unity.

In March 1775, Patrick Henry beseeched Americans that strength is not found in complacency, but in vigilance, action and bravery. My brothers and sisters, this truth has not changed. We have been given the freedom to vote, and that freedom is a gift. In such a time as this, with division breathing down our necks and threatening to divide the nation for which our founding fathers fought, we must use the gift that has been awarded to us. We must vote.

I thoroughly believe that when you vote, you are not voting for Trump, Biden or any one man, but instead for the solidarity of the one nation, for which we stand, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Comments are closed.