What We’re Fighting For: Outside UTRGV’s Kamala Harris Rally
If you were at campus on Oct. 30, then you most likely noticed the long lines of cars that took over the East University Drive with giant flags of red or blue. Or maybe you noticed the copious amounts of security personnel that were on campus. You could feel the anticipation in the air, and maybe you were one of the ones holding their breath because that day, we realized that we were seen and we were heard. In a place where many people might say is the middle of nowhere and invisible to the rest of the world, California Sen. Kamala Harris, also Biden’s vice presidential candidate, visited the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
“We are very, very enthusiastic about having a VP coming out here,” said David Garza, who was a candidate for the county Democratic party back in 2016. “We are very happy that Harris and the Biden campaign have really acknowledged the strength of the Latino vote, and they realize the Rio Grande Valley is the doorway to turning Texas blue.”
Prior to visiting the RGV, Harris visited Dallas and Houston. These locations were not picked randomly, and the Valley was not an accident. Despite being known as a red state, Texas is starting to see a trend of more areas voting Democrat. As the numbers grow, Dallas, Houston, and the Valley are known for being the blue areas within the red state. They are becoming very crucial areas for the upcoming presidential election. In fact, Texas used to be a very bright and dominant red, but now is slowly turning grey. It is now considered a toss-up state along with Florida, Arizona, Georgia, and several others. According to CNN, Biden is leading the polls by 10% and though many voted early, the result may change last minute if either party manages to win over a key state.
During the event, I managed to interview several people, as they were all waiting to be admitted in by Social Security. Many people waiting were from the Valley, ranging from Edinburg all the way to Brownsville. There were some people, however, that came from Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and I even met a man from Virginia. Not one person who attended the event was exactly the same. I saw families, couples, friends, or people who came alone. The ages ranged from 5–years–old to 85–years–old. Some people drove sedans, vans, trucks, and I am pretty sure I saw a sports car or two. There were flags that held what many of them supported and believed in; flags with the names Biden and Harris on one, and Trump on the other.
There were some similarities I saw. It was amazing to see that many of them already voted or planned to vote on election night. Many had a strong sense of conviction in the candidate that they voted for and this undeniable sense of hope.
Merriam-Webster dictionary defines hope as “to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true.” Hope is definitely not a foreign concept to anyone. Whether it was hoping for money underneath your pillow as a child after losing a tooth, hoping to get into the university you wanted, or hoping that your secret crush of six months will finally notice you. We have all hoped for something within our lifetime and we continue to hope. We now live in a time where human rights are debated over like whether or not pineapple belongs on pizza. Where a pandemic has ravaged the country not only physically but emotionally. Where forests are on fire, trash is piling up, and the oceans and skies are black instead of blue. What keeps many of us going is the hope for a better future and doing what we can to shape the country and the society we live in.
While interviewing, I noticed some particular topics were at the forefront of conversation. There was healthcare, the Green New Deal, police reform, and a particular topic that truly means a lot to the RGV community: immigration. Amidst the honking of cars, one particular person I interviewed said that “immigration is a very important part of what the Valley is. We are constructed, and so is the United States, like a melting pot. We are built upon immigrants, we rely on the work on they do and yet, he [Trump] wants to make it private. The working people, the people who need sanctuary, the people who are coming here in need… you don’t gain anything by making America isolated. So, it is important to have a president who understands the needs of all people. Black, white, LGBTQ+, even us.”
Since President Trump’s term, there have been many controversies about certain actions that he did, such as separating thousands of immigrant children from their parents. 525 of those children still not have found their parents, as mentioned in the second presidential debate last Oct. 22. This is not the only thing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been accused of. Violence, sexual harassment, and immigrant sterilization are just a few things that the agency is known for. “We completely stand against [children] being locked up,” said Nick Pardo, who was with his mother and father at the event. “Anybody who is a part of that doesn’t deserve to represent us in our government. The dreamers should quickly become citizens. They’ve been a part of our country, a positive part of our country, for a very long time, and they deserve citizenship as well.”
During the event, many people came out to show their support for their candidate. This means that many Trump supporters were at Democratic event, holding their own signs and Trump flags. While those waiting to be admitted into the event, many Trump supporters engaged in conversation with those waiting in their cars. I noticed that, compared to the Biden supporters, not all of them were willing to have their pictures taken or speak for an interview. One man I spoke to claimed that he “doesn’t believe in media.”
Another Trump supporter, Mike Perry, said that the main reason he came to the event and supported Trump’s platform was “Americanism and supporting the country [on what] it is founded.” When I asked what he meant by Americanism he stated “individual liberty, the constitution. It [America] is the greatest country on Earth. We can talk about all the different topics here today. We can talk about healthcare, the second amendment, civil unrest. I just happen to align more with Donald Trump than… other people.”
Despite all the conflicting ideas and opinions on these major topics, there is still this underlying desire for what people believe is best for this country.
At the end of the day, we are all fighting for the same thing. Like Biden supporter Vicki Prado said, “It is all about good and evil. And we want good.”
