A divided nation

Per Escola GEM Report

To take a look at the situation that the USA is going through after the elections, we interviewed a teacher from Florida

As we all know, Joe Biden and Donal Trump gave it all to be the next president of the United States, overtaking all types of media and becoming the main topic not only in the world’s main superpower but in every other country. It was almost impossible to avoid hearing, reading, or talking about these elections for a few weeks because its results concerned us all.

Now, after the results were made public and the situation has been hugely diluted, it intrigued us how Americans have returned to their quotidian life after such an intense political period and if the country has been healing its division or not.

Therefore, a few weeks ago we had the chance to interview Camille, one of our dual diploma tutors of this year from Florida. We’ve had the opportunity to ask her some questions centered on how she has lived the US elections between Trump and Biden, the reactions, and how the situation has evolved until then. We want to thank Camille for letting us interview her. 

Interview to Camille:

• What changes have you seen since the election results?

After the election, I think things have died down a little bit as it’s not as hostile as just after the results came out. Before the voting, there were a lot of tv commercials and advertisements all over the place. However, since the election ended there’s not nearly as much of that, so it’s coming down a lot.

• What changes are you looking forward to seeing?

I think it depends. Right now the media has predicted or said that Biden has won but I guess that Trump is still fighting so we’re waiting to see after everything has been finally declared, what happens then. 

Still, I’m looking forward to the country being less divided.

• What was the reaction, especially of those who voted for Trump, after the results?

I think on Joe Biden’s side everyone was very pleased, happy, and excited. In fact, there were a lot of celebrations in the streets. On the other hand, I think people who voted for Trump think that there was voter fraud. Of course, Joe Biden’s followers are festive thinking that there wasn’t, so the nation is still divided in that way. 

I guess everyone is just waiting to see what happens next. If I remember correctly, they have until the middle of December to figure that out. 

Can you describe how you lived this intense election and the voting process? How was everything like when the results were still unknown?

During that time, everyone was watching the tv, the news, and the media because this was a very important election for everyone on either side. We certainly had a lot of anticipation about it. 

Everyone was double-checking their phones and constantly refreshing the results to see what states went to Biden and Trump. The time to see the outcome of the voting was kind of nerve-racking for everyone involved on either side. 

Leading up to the election, as I said, it was kind of hostile; there were a lot of commercials and ads all over the tv and on the streets… When it came down to the election people were nervous; just watching and awaiting the results. 

It was the conversation topic for the last month, as it’s all everyone has been talking and arguing about. Social media and the news were mostly of politics. Everything that has happened in the last season has kind of been looked up with a microscope on both sides, whether Biden or Trump were saying or doing something people were watching and talking about it. It was really looked up and focused on. 

At some point at least with my family we had to say “okay we have to take a break from this and not talk about it for a little bit” because it was pretty overwhelming and overtaken on all forms of media.

• Was there any violence at some point?

Not that I recall since the election, but there was a little bit of violence before-hand. Previous to the election, there was, between both sides, a rally or something like that.

• Is Trump hidden or has he spoken up in public?

He has not spoken a lot since the election has happened. He came out for better in stay, showing his respects, on November 11th. Since that, nobody has heard or seen many public speeches of him. For the most part, he has not made many public appearances.

Per: A. Soler