Thanksgiving, Post-Election: China, USA, We Cannot Fear Democracy

Dear Mom and Dad,

You sent to me this country last to earn a prestigious diploma, find a good job, and a build promising future for myself. Back then, you probably had no idea that a year later, our “dream country” would undergo a huge change in surface ideologies, reflected by the results of the recent presidential election. But please stay confident about this country, and stay confident about democracy–a treasured thing that our homeland is still struggling for. And please stay confident about my personal safety.

After Brexit, you began to wonder whether democracy can lead people to happiness. And after Donald Trump’s victory, you started to wonder whether it is was the right choice to let me leave our home and learn more about democracy. But trust me, our choice was right. I felt informed when I watched the debates between two candidates talking about their political opinions, and I feel the freedom of individuals when I listen people openly talking about their concerns on social issues. I felt the power of individuals when I saw people waiting in long lines to make their own choices about their own future, and I feel people’s engagement when I see somber people on New York City’s street. I came, I saw, and I’ve started to understand.

We cannot devalue things based on whether it can benefit us in the short times of our material lives. We cannot devalue democracy based on two recent, yet stunning, votes. We cannot devalue precious things like equal human rights and the peace that comes from democracy.  The problems we face do not come from letting people make their own decisions, but rather from the failure to deal with issues derived from the complexities of globalization, economics, and complicated international relationships. Social problems cannot be explained in an oversimplified and one-sided statement.

Please stop worrying about my study and my life in this wonderful city. Fear should not belong to people who have faith in human rights, equal rights, and democracy.

Your loving daughter,

Aria

Aria Quan is a second-year international MPH student currently enrolled in the Environmental Health Sciences Department at Mailman. Aside from tackling environmental health issues, she also interested in the intricacies of democracy and hopes to introduce aspects of it when she returns to China.

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