Timpview’s Silent Majority?

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Mason McCloud

 Loud and prideful chants of “USA! USA! USA!” rang out from the House Chambers in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, as President Trump delivered his 80-minute State of the Union address.

 

Using the word “we” more than 120 times and receiving 115 applause lines, Trump delivered an unabashedly pro-American speech, receiving nothing by shouts of praise from Republicans and glares of ice from Democrats.

 

“Over the last year, the world has seen what we always knew: that no people on earth are so fearless, or daring, or determined as Americans,” Trump said.  “If there is a mountain, we climb it.  If there is a frontier, we cross it.  If there’s a challenge, we tame it.  If there’s an opportunity, we seize it.  So tonight, let’s begin by recognizing that the state of our Union is strong, because our people are strong.”

 

Since his election to the Oval Office, Trump claims, 2.4 million jobs have been created, with 200,000 of them in manufacturing. Wages are rising for the first time in “years and years;” unemployment has hit a “45-year low;” African and Hispanic American unemployment rates are the lowest in U.S. history; the stock market has gained $8 trillion in value; and the standard income tax deduction was “nearly doubled” for “everyone.”

 

“There has never been a better time to start living the American dream,” Trump declared.  “If you work hard, if you believe in yourself, if you believe in America, then you can dream anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve absolutely anything.”

 

Outlined in this historic speech, Trump proposed a four-step plan to defend American sovereignty: (1) granting amnesty to 1.8 million illegal immigrants, (2) building a “great wall” along the American-Mexican border, (3) ending the Visa Lottery program, and (4) ending chain migration.

 

“In the age of terrorism, these programs present risks we can just no longer afford,” Trump said.  “My duty, and the sacred duty of every elected official […] is to defend Americans, to protect their safety, their families, their communities, and their right to the American Dream.  Because Americans are dreamers, too.”

Noted by the Commander-in-Chief was the liberation of “nearly 100 percent” of the territory held by ISIS one year ago, the reopening Guantanamo Bay, and changing the combat guidelines.  Prior to Christmas, Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a feat he proudly assumed credit for, a feat which shook the international community.

 

“The struggle will be long, and will be difficult,” Trump said.  “But as Americans always do, we will succeed, we will prevail.”

 

According to CBS polls published just hours after the speech, 75 percent of those surveyed approve of Trump’s message, while 54 percent believed the policies outlined would prove beneficial in their lives.

 

There is one thing, one particular aspect of Trump’s speech that stands out to most observers.  Say what you will about President Donald Trump, but he loves this country, and he’s not afraid to show it.  So only one question remains: where is Timpview’s patriotism?

 

“We want every citizen to be proud of this land that we all love so much.”  This goal, vocalized by Trump, has not yet reached our school; one hardly needs to look around the halls of Timpview to realize our student population is full of those who want to “fix” or “change” or “fundamentally transform” America, and not those who are proud of the America that currently exists.

 

Those who voice in-school liberalism serve as only a fraction of our student body, but that voice is always the loudest.  This stems from what many perceive as a preeminent rule of politics on both a school and a national level: Liberalism is good, Americanism is bad.  Hopefully President Trump will inspire the silent patriots of Timpview to declare their love of America.

 

To each his own, but Timpview needs to understand one thing: lopsided “free speech” is not free.  For those who live under constant fear of expressing their opinions, regardless of who they are or what their opinions entail, creating a “safe space” in the school for only some students is a bad idea.  All students deserve the freedom speech, the freedom from fear.

 

“All of us, together as one team, one people, and one American family, can do anything.  We all share the same home, the same heart, the same destiny, and the same great American flag,” Trump said.  “Americans love their country.  And they deserve a government that shows them that same love and loyalty in return.”