Written by Devon Mitchell
Tuesday marked the end of another presidential election… or did it? While campaigning has officially ended, we likely won’t learn the results for a little while longer. Because of the number of mail-in voting due to the pandemic, many states have allowed votes to be counted so long as ballots are postmarked by the day of the election. While this is great for many voters, it also means it may be weeks and even up to a month before we know the results. There really is no way to tell. So now, we wait. As Tom Petty once prophetically said, “the waiting is the hardest part”.
There is an immense amount of anxiety surrounding this election for folks on both sides of the aisle. It’s never easy not knowing, especially when it seems like a lot is on the line. Retailers in Washington DC and other big cities like Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago were boarding up their windows to prepare for any potential riots. Although, city authorities in DC say there are no credible threats. Some businesses have tried to put a positive spin on the situation. Murals and graffiti art have gone up depicting images of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and other inspiring messages on some boarded-up buildings.
It’s a hard time for our nation. We have gone through a pandemic, a recession, natural disasters, injustice, the loss of important public figures, and extreme disunity. This election is just the tip of the iceberg. I won’t lie; this is going to be a difficult next couple of weeks. Take heart in the fact that you did what you could for now. Do not concede if your democracy has failed you. Keep fighting for what you believe and stay safe Maroons.
