Elections for the resident alien American
Every four years, the USA braces for an impact. Red bleeds over blue or the blue bleeds over red aka democracy happen. I came to America under the historic black presidency of Barack Obama, and I also quickly witnessed his re-election. If that was not historic enough, in 2016 America also nominated their first female candidate from a dominant national party — Hillary Clinton and consequently elected Donald Trump as the 45th president in 2016.
Being a resident alien in America gives me no right to vote. But no right to vote doesn’t make you an alien to the American elections. Over the years, who holds the seat in the White House has impacted my daily life in so many ways — travel ban, taxes, immigration. Things that as an immigrant make a direct impact on how you structure your life.
The tangential impact
As much as I had always avoided being a part of US political discussions, it is becoming more and more important for me to await the election night results. Living in a politically aware society makes you an undeniable part of these political tensions, as I have friends and colleagues who canvass on behalf of both the dominant election parties.
I acknowledge that while I have no role to play in American elections, people around me play a significant part. I stay respectful and adhere that elections are an expression of how the population chooses an individual to hold a public office.
Every election I read the election pamphlet that always shows up in my mailbox. Merely because I am curious and if I am asked to vote, I will take a rational decision based on the candidate’s experience and propositions. But I don’t go canvassing on social media or social chats based on my granular analysis of the pamphlet. That said I am always an ear for my politically conscious pals who want to rant their heart out against the candidate that doesn’t deserve their vote.
The impact of media
Media stimulants create reactions. You cannot avoid the big political signs when you drive by to get your groceries. You also cannot ignore the creative ways in which Americans showcase their candidate of favor with a car sticker or a porch sign.
You get news delivered based on the locality, might it be the ads that pop on your free game app or the huge banner ads show up at your morning news homepage.
The impact of the election itself
The results of the 2016 elections were a huge surprise to many people around me. I witnessed the pain in many voices, including huge rallies and protests. That continued for the four year term. The stress of the nation regardless of who you support flows into you. The ramifications often have a direct impact on an immigrant that is a part of this huge melting pot.
In short….
….you may be a resident alien, but veiling from the political system is hard in a country like the USA. Especially a country with a highly conscious political mass that wants to hold the government accountable for its people. So, as a resident alien who doesn’t participate in voting, during the elections, I have learned a lot to be politically conscious, become more aware of the way western democracy works and what matters when you elect your candidate to represent yourself. And since my everyday life as an immigrant rights are often impacted by the person who gets elected, election results do impact me.
That said elections coming every four years are also a perplexing delirium to the resident alien who has little role to play, lot to digest and has to go through a significant impact on themselves and their ambiance.
