As the Midway sees it…

After Joe Biden was elected the next President of the United States, millions of Americans breathed a sigh of relief, flooded their streets, honked car horns and celebrated the beginning of the end of the Donald Trump presidency. 

After having taken this collective sigh, it is important that Biden supporters — a vast majority at U-High — stay politically active and not let political activism end with the election victory.

In a Midway-run mock democratic primary in February, Mr. Biden received a mere 7% of the vote, far behind Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. During the Midway’s mock general election last month, Mr. Biden garnered a whopping 91% of the vote. Students were ready to, as the popular saying goes, “settle for Biden.” Although many identified removing Mr. Trump and his administration as a crucial step, this does not eliminate the systemic issues of inequity and injustice. Moving forward, activists need to continue to fight with similar fervor.

The next four years are an opportunity to see real, consequential change. Now is the time to fight for policies students find important, rather than simply reverse changes made by the Trump administration. 

During the primary, students vehemently supported Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren for their much more liberal and aggressive economic, climate and education plans. As a more moderate politician, Mr. Biden does not embrace policies that would make dramatic reforms quickly. This does not mean it is time to give up on the hopes and plans we appreciated during the primary. Now is the time to really engage with policies and not simply relax because Democrats hold the executive branch.

Finding the motivation to fight for one’s beliefs may indeed be more challenging — it is easier to find the passion to protest and redress grievances when you’re outraged. During the Trump administration, this kind of outrage came frequently. The need for change was urgent: basic human rights — religious, reproductive and civil — were under assault. Under President Biden, the outrage may come less frequently and we may lose this sense of urgency. It is time to prove political activism was not just a trend, but rather something we are committed to and truly willing to fight for.

Racial injustice, climate change and economic inequality won’t be solved with a new leader of the executive branch alone. Being educated and active on local and national levels will continue to be important no matter who is the president. If we really do care about the country we live in, and leave for future generations, we cannot let the fight fizzle here.