Staying Politically Active Post-Election

by The Cowl Editor on November 8, 2018


Editor's Column


by Taylor Godfrey ’19

Editor-in-Chief

Like many Americans, I spent Tuesday night in front of my television, attempting to do homework but really just watching the screen as the results of the midterm elections poured in. It was a long night for anyone watching, but by the time this issue of The Cowl hits stands, the acceptance and concession speeches will all have been read, the “I voted” stickers will have been peeled off, the dust will have settled over the 2018 midterm elections, and it will seem as though there is nothing left to do.

Election season is an emotional and stressful time for the country. In our polarized political climate, tensions have been running high for months and many might feel a creeping apathy now that the fervor to get out and vote is over.

But being politically conscious and active is not limited to the short time every two years when our nation goes to the polls.

The issues which the two parties were campaigning for votes do not just go away. Now that the polls have closed, it is still on us to make the changes we want to see. It is not too late.

New people may be in power, but the issues remain the same, and newly elected officials must be called upon to fix them. The time may be over to make your voice heard by filling in a little circle on a ballot, but your voice is still important and it has not lost any strength.

Whether your voice is loudest organizing marches, calling your representatives, or writing editorial columns in your student newspaper, there is still plenty to do.

And this work should continue on Providence College’s campus as well. Every semester there are Student Congress elections, but beyond that there are many ways  to advocate for yourself and others on campus.

From getting involved with clubs and organizing events to simply speaking up for yourself and others and there is plenty of opportunities to be politically active on campus. The elections may be over, but the real work has just begun.