Biden won, now what?

It’s looking as though Biden will likely win the presidency. (Found out he won as I was writing this up!) The possibility that we will have someone who’s not Trump in office is quite comforting, but before we get too comfortable, we can’t forget about all the massive changes that still need to happen to not only undo the harm caused by Trump, but also to undo hundreds of years of history (just because Trump ignited white supremacy in the United States does not mean it hasn’t been an issue since the founding of our nation).

Although we may have curbed the tide of fascism (for now), it does not mean American systems are no longer trash. Just because a misogynistic and xenophobic white supremacist is no longer our president does not mean that we can forget about the racism and sexism (and all the other isms) that pervade our country. Ultimately monumental steps need to be taken under Biden’s presidency to ensure that Trump (or someone like him) isn’t elected again in 2024. He needs to champion making massive changes in our society that start to break down hundreds of years of inequality, and we, as the people, have to hold him accountable for this. We cannot afford to become complacent again until the next presidential election and hope that things will get better overtime (as is often the case). The Democratic party has to prove itself to be more than just not Trump.

Just because in comparison to Trump, Biden is not so bad, does not mean that our work here is done. (Although, I think anyone would look pretty stellar in comparison, but that’s just me) In spite of all the harm Trump has caused, one (dare I say it?) positive thing that has come out of these past four years is that it woke a lot of people up.

A couple years ago, I used to be moderately conservative. There was a lot that I really didn’t understand about the world around me. I was ignorant in many ways, but the worst part was, I thought I was right in my perspective. I thought that my concept of reality was objective and ignored perspectives that disproved my own in some fundamental way. I had no concept of structural racism and hell – I wasn’t even a feminist back then. (Honestly my younger self would likely make fun of my current self for how much of a lefty I’ve become, but that’s okay. Growth, right?)

Trump’s policies have been extreme, and for that reason I started to wake up from my own ignorance, but I think if we had a less extreme (but still harmful, nonetheless) president, I might not have realized just how misguided my own political beliefs were and actively tried to change them. I’ve seem some similar changes on a nation-wide scale – from Black Lives Matter protests happening all over the country to Women’s Rights Marches, more and more people are waking up to pervaisive issues in our country and demanding they end.

It’s hard to predict what 2021 will look like (given the circus that was this year), but I hope Americans don’t revert back to complacency just because, on the surface with a Biden presidency, we seem to be doing much better.

The fight is not over until:

1. The United States breaks down racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia (basically all forms of discrimination based on an unequal power dynamic) within our systems and our minds.

** Just received notification that Biden won the election!!!! **

2. The mess of our healthcare system, criminal justice system, education system, transportation system, etc. is figured out. (I guess, ultimately, every point I want to make falls under the umbrella of the first point)

Is this going to happen under a Biden presidency? Honestly, I’m not going to hold my breath. I understand that changes happen quite slowly, but I hope we at least get closer to a better future with him and Kamala Harris in office. I hope we, as Americans, never forget these past four years and continue fighting for what is right.