Keep Calm And Carry On: The Dangers Of The Election Results

Sergey Podlesnykh/Staff Writer

As we count the days until the presidential election, political analysts are keeping their fingers on the nation’s pulse in an attempt to predict the winner. There’s still time for the electoral scales to tip either way, and I wouldn’t dare to guess the next four year occupant of the White House today. However, regardless of the outcome, one thing is for sure: the election results could cause dangerous civil unrest. 

This year has been anything but ordinary; a global pandemic and resurging riots have greatly deepened the country’s divide before the election. 

Let’s face it: financial stress, unemployment, issues of racial inequality, police brutality, mask wars and quarantine frustrations have made our fuses a bit shorter in 2020. And, frankly, that is only the tip of this year’s iceberg of triggers. Any social-sensitive matter has the potential to unleash a new wave of protests and violence in the nation. My fear is that the election results might become the cherry on top of this year’s cake.  

Here’s an old joke to better illustrate the idea: 

A: The game is tomorrow, my dad will be drunk. 

B: Why such confidence, without even knowing the score yet? 

C: Well, if his team wins, he will celebrate. If they lose, he will be sad. A tie will only anger him for the lack of the result. Either way, he is getting drunk. 

Following the joke’s logic, even mass approval of the election results and a “happy” scenario without any violent incidents amid the pandemic is dangerous enough. A happy congregation of people chanting, hugging and celebrating might undermine all efforts of containing the virus in our state, which has the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country. Some people believe the high number of COVID-19 cases is relative and cling to the “it is what it is” mentality. However, I would suggest a more responsible approach.  

In 2016, Miami took to the streets after the Presidential Election, as people voiced their disapproval of the results. This can easily occur again, regardless of the outcome. It doesn’t really matter who will be on the streets or what banners they will be shaking; with our short fuses this year, this can quickly snowball into further mass protests, riots and acts of vandalism, resulting in a vicious circle that will only divide us more. And that’s without mentioning the potential spike in COVID-19 cases – the last thing Miami-Dade needs in the fall.   

We might feel somewhat optimistic based on the examples of Florida’s racial inequality protests earlier this year. Indeed, Miami was able to stay away from the extreme examples of Portland and Minneapolis. However, Florida’s battleground status is lending itself to increasing tensions surrounding the political leaning of the state, hence catering to the possibility of the Sunshine State making national headlines on election night for all the wrong reasons.

FIU students are involved in various social movements and continue to actively participate in the city’s life. Panthers do have an opinion and they are not afraid to voice their concerns. Chances are, many FIU students will feel obliged to respond to the results of the upcoming election. I have no doubts that all Panthers have nothing but the best intentions, whatever that response might be. I merely urge you to keep a cool head after all the votes are in and counted.

I read through the Constitution every now and then and do realize the First Amendment is still there. Make no mistake; I’m not calling for silent indifference. Our unbridled passion, rebellious spirit and sense of freedom engraved into our brains are what made this country great. Don’t abandon your values and walk away from who you are. Stay true to your inner voice, and make sure others hear it too, but do so carefully and responsibly. We are all together in this boat, and breaking it might make the name of the captain absolutely irrelevant. 

I strongly suggest we exercise our voting privilege and cast a ballot (either in person or by mail) for the candidate of your liking. I encourage you to be happy if your candidate wins. I encourage you to voice any legitimate concerns you might have if your candidate loses. But, most importantly, I encourage you to be responsible and safe. Your voice can still be heard from six feet away with your mask on, and placing carnations in the barrel of the rifle can be more effective than throwing rocks and flipping vehicles over.  

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

Have questions or comments for our writers? Send an email to opinion@fiusm.com with your name and the name of the column in the subject line.

Featured image by Jernej Furman on Flickr.