Editor,
I never thought I could be this moved by politics. I never thought I would be moved to donate money to a political campaign. I never thought I would cry at an election speech. I never thought I would wake up with feelings of hope and opportunity because of an election.
I doubted my own country's ability to see the need for change and to look beyond race to elect the best person for the job. I would say that one incredibly inspiring man has changed all of this. But this is bigger than just that one man. This change, in my own thinking, is being mirrored across our nation.
People have spoken out; we have boldly shouted our desire for a better world. We have gone to the polls in record numbers. We have volunteered countless hours in support of a shared vision of a better country. We have stood for hours to hear his voice, to catch a glimpse of him in a crowd, to say we were there when history was made.
But at this moment, I would like to ask us all, now what? What can we do now with this unprecedented passion, drive and collaboration? About 45,000 Burqueños stood for hours on Johnson Field for a few words of hope. What could be done now if even half of those people gave even half of that time to our communities? What change could such hard work and dedication effect now? What could a few more e-mails, a few more phone calls, inspire?
We have learned that, together, we can make history. Yes, we can make change in our country. What else are we willing to do together to continue the fight? I beg those that did not vote for this man to listen. Listen to him as he speaks directly to you and reaffirms his commitment to our whole country. Listen to another great man, who on that historic night urged all Americans to offer "our next president our goodwill and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences.. Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that."
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That association is the highest for many in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Love for our country is precisely why we are so passionate in our debates. Let us now turn that passion into hard work. Let us now pour that energy and enthusiasm into bettering our communities, side by side. "Young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, American Indian, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled.. We have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states. We are, and always will be, the United States of America."
Let us now stand united and improve our communities and country together.
Michelle Watkins
UNM student
