In the months before the culmination of the battle between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, who as of print time is set to win the 2024 presidential election, The Emory Wheel’s Opinion editors asked members of the Emory University community to share their opinions on various topics related to the election. The opinion team worked with eight individuals — seven students and one faculty member — to provide written statements on their perspectives on the election. The images corresponding with this project do not reflect the physical appearances of those who participated in the project but rather the diverse makeup of Emory’s campus. Illustrations by Staff Illustrators Ginna Nebrig and Sasha Emmerich.
Civic engagement at Emory:
I do hear students talking about the election, and I think Emory students and faculty are civically involved. So many of the faculty at Emory put their money where their mouth is — they volunteer, get involved in activist campaigns, teach students about what is at stake and, in their research, advocate for a more fair and just world. I have held faculty positions at four other institutions and have never known a faculty this devoted and involved.
- Dr. Michelle M. Wright, Emory College of Arts & Sciences Distinguished Professor of English
I don’t think Emory is as civically involved as it should be. A lot of my friends vary between caring and not caring about the election. I also think more professors should cancel class on Election Day, Nov. 5, to encourage people to vote, even if canceling class comes at the last second. Even then, it is in my opinion that it is the University’s responsibility to give students and faculty election day off. I have had only one professor do that so far, but I appreciate it. I will take this opportunity to say that everyone should vote, especially if they are a part of a historically marginalized community.
- Wendy Pelayo (26C)
The worst part of the election:
The worst thing about this election is the mindset that "both candidates are bad — therefore I’m not voting." This level of disengagement is not just disheartening, it is dangerous. It is true that political discourse has become increasingly negative, in which attacks on character often overshadow substantive policy discussions. The shift from aspirational leadership, like when former First Lady Michelle Obama said, "when they go low, we go high," to the cutthroat "when they go low, we go lower" mentality is reflective of how polarized and toxic our political environment has become.
However, refusing to vote because of dissatisfaction with both candidates misses the bigger picture: It ignores the very real consequences of inaction. This protest by abstention not only fails to improve the situation but also indirectly enables the very forces people claim to oppose. In a time when the future of crucial issues hangs in the balance, sitting on the sidelines because of disillusionment is not just a missed opportunity. It is an abdication of responsibility, and it is harmful to those who depend on our collective voices, especially the marginalized communities most impacted by these policies. The reality is, politics is rarely perfect, and no candidate is without flaws. But some choices have far greater implications for the future of our democracy, civil rights and social progress. Silence and apathy only serve to perpetuate the status quo, and in this election, the stakes are simply too high for that.
- Katie Oshins (25C)
I wish we could all come together regardless of which candidate wins, without protest or anger, and accept the results of the election. We must have respect for the democratic process, and the lack of unity is perhaps the greatest loss.
- Josh Rosenblut (26B)
Although I believe the U. S. democracy is at risk of further erosion, I do not think the upcoming election will spell its demise. Fortunately, American democracy has proven resilient, thanks to its constituency's civic participation and demonstrations. Regardless, it is still true that a second Trump presidency would further erode democracy, and it is salient that we do not discover the disturbing reality of what that might entail.
The Electoral College is an outdated system created when our nation's leaders did not trust the population to be smart enough to vote for an appropriate candidate. We have the technology and infrastructure to facilitate a popular vote, so we should overhaul the Electoral College for a more representative method.
Political polarization is the highest it has been in the past 50 years, and the U.S. continues to polarize faster than other democracies. This trend is unfortunate, primarily as it manifests into a gridlocked and unproductive Congress.
- Angel Sosa (26C)
The policies on their minds:
Overall, redistributing the nation’s wealth is a large motivator in my political opinion because I believe lower-income communities are often disposed of and taken advantage of during and outside of election seasons. This is why I am reluctantly supporting Harris: Politicians will leverage their supposed relatability to appeal to the working class, get votes and maybe carry out beneficial policy. There are also a plethora of other issues I could mention, such as abortion rights, immigration and climate, but generally, I support the most progressive candidate.
- Wendy Pelayo (26C)
Their candidate preferences:
I prefer that Harris win the presidential election because she aligns best with my politics. Ideally, I prefer candidates like Claudia De La Cruz and Karina Garcia, the presidential and vice presidential candidates for the U.S. Party for Socialism and Liberation, because they fight for the immediate needs of poor and working-class people. They also center multinational and multiethnic perspectives rather than silence and criminalize them.
- Wendy Pelayo (26C)
The Biden-Harris administration, while far from perfect, has been historic and has resulted in incredible strides for the economy, employment, healthcare and countless other issues that prove to be the most important to Americans as shown by recent polls. In voting for Harris, I am also voting for her cabinet, her (potential) U.S. Supreme Court picks, her district judges and her picks for the heads of independent agencies and commissions. The Trump administration's haphazard approach to taxation depressed the economy, an effect that was only exacerbated by his COVID-19 response. It goes without saying that his reaction to the pandemic also resulted in the loss of countless lives in a way that will forever mark American history. His policies have failed Americans as he attempted to repeal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals protection, and those seeking a path to citizenship also saw more difficulties as a result of his administration’s creation of the first ever path for new citizens to become denaturalized. Trump also failed to deliver on key campaign promises to those who supported him — for example, though I do not support the construction of a border wall, even those that do cannot deny the absolute lack of progress on this issue. Trump is not focused on fortifying key American institutions — he is focused on gutting and stifling them in a way that should alarm everyone. For those considering voting for a third-party candidate in a swing state like Georgia, the Swap Your Vote project allows for you to swap your vote with two blue state voters who will vote third party in your place. Until we can escape the two-party system, Harris is the only clear choice.
- Dani Parra del Riego Valencia (25B)
I would say that I am mostly satisfied with presidential candidate Jill Stein's platform. I do not think it is the most realistic, but that is the case with most political platforms. I am most proud of her commitment to end U.S. military aid to Israel until it complies with international law.
There is a big misconception that those of us who are criticizing Harris for her complicity in Israel's war crimes and thus voting third party are somehow Trump supporters, which is frankly absurd. Third-party supporters are well aware of the danger of Trump and how he is the same if not worse when it comes to policy in Palestine. However, genocide is a moral line that we will not cross or endorse with our vote. Many seem to forget that Harris is part of the administration that has actively funded Israel's war crimes over the past year and has not indicated that she would do anything differently in the next four years. I will not tell anyone how to vote or criticize those who vote for her. I believe that if you do vote for Harris and care about Palestine, however, you should be doing your part in pressuring her to do better, whether that's through calls, petitions or showing up to protests.
- Ibrahim Jouja (25B)
I wish we could all come together regardless of which candidate wins, without protest or anger, and accept the results of the election. We must have respect for the democratic process, and the lack of unity is perhaps the greatest loss.
As a proud Jew, my background deeply informs my political views, and while some claim that Harris lacks support for Jewish policies, I disagree. I will be voting for her with confidence, rooted in both my values and identity.
- Josh Rosenblut (26B)
Trump is an existential threat to the survival of the U.S. and its place as a global hegemon and defender of the rules-based international order which we have expended innumerable American lives and resources to establish and defend. Trump intends to hand over the hard-fought political, diplomatic, economic, ideological and national winnings over to our despised foreign adversaries. He is nothing more than a spineless, amorphous blob of unbridled self-interest, a draft-dodging coward who has never stood up for anything in his life but the almighty dollar.
Harris has given me no particular reason to be endeared to her, rather the opposite. However, I can at least trust that she has been a longstanding public servant whose policy objectives, while lacking vision and largely shortsighted, do not include handing over the United States and our international allies to barbaric and bloodthirsty dictators hellbent on the annihilation of all we hold dear. For those reasons, I will be voting for her. I do so not as a matter of any particular regard for Harris or her vigorless, pallid and visionless party of debasement and resentment, but as a matter of national survival and relevance on an international stage.
- Jerry Mon Père (24Ox, 26C)
In a divisive election cycle, the Opinion section is proud to showcase the diverse voices of campus community members. In publishing this project, we seek to amplify student perspectives and bring together individuals from across the political spectrum. Through exchanging ideas, we hope to foster a platform for respectful discourse and understanding.
