The extent of the controversiality surrounding Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is surely no secret, but what would it mean if the horrid reality of his election were to come true? Apart from publicly condoning and revamping discriminatory ideals unfortunately still prevalent in society today, Trump fuels his campaign with an aggressive message of reform. It is this fervent approach that misleads many minds into thinking that his mindset is most effective and satisfies the niche in many Americans whom are fearful for the future of this country. One of the many pivotal problems facing our nation, as well as many others, that feeds this fright is the issue of terrorism. While it is nice to imagine a world in which we can snap our fingers and poof, the oppressors are gone, this is most certainly not a possibility. Sadly, this is a concept still incomprehensible to Trump.
In response to the ongoing threat of ISIS to the American people, Trump has developed the elementary plan to “bomb the shit out of them.” While obliterating an entire terrorist group may suffice any present threats, it functions to perpetuate further terrorism. By impulsively bombing ISIS to shreds, we would also be wiping out many innocent lives that are face-to-face victims of the extremist organization. In other words, this would mean taking the lives of defenseless humans for personal purpose and benefit. Sound familiar? Fighting terrorism with terrorism is not the answer. Neither is sparking up a new generation of American-haters whose brothers, mothers and children have been killed by our insensible acts of murder. Planting troops betwixt ISIS and their victims would surely do a justice in drawing distinction, but this cannot be done alone.
Instead, we as a nation need to develop a worldwide alliance system that not only includes those of the Middle East in equal anguish, but calls for lasting effects. In the words of Bernie Sanders himself on the danger of terrorism, “we have got to be tough but not stupid,” the latter being Trump’s major downfall as a leader.
Like terrorism, many larger issues facing this country and the world as a whole cannot be carried out in one fell swoop. What the United States needs right now more than ever is a leader who neither shies away from the larger issues due to their immensity, nor preaches haphazard schemes whose temporary solutions formulate for tremendously worse consequences. There is no surprise as to why making America great again, getting rid of ISIS and making this country flourish financially sounds pleasing to the ear. However, when these lovely procedures mean prolonging bigotry, generating future terrorist groups, vaporizing the middle class so that it is a dirt-poor or filthy-rich kind of world and virtually destroying the planet, I think we ought to think twice about whether Trump wants to make America great for the long run, or simply “great” right now.
Instead, we need a leader who dictates for all social classes, ethnicities, religions, genders and nature in order to make humanity and its habitat function harmoniously — none of which are on Trump’s to-do list.
Sophia San Filippo is a sophomore double-majoring in English and psychology.