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US President Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Joe Biden are fighting for the presidency in a deeply divided America.
Trump has focused on “law and order,” while Biden has tried to adopt a conciliatory note. The Black Lives Matter movement and whether Trump will release his taxes are among the many issues that Americans will consider when choosing their president.
As the close elections approach, Al Jazeera has been speaking to voters across the United States, asking nine questions to understand who they support and why.
Aileen garza
American voter Aileen Garza [Courtesy of Aileen Garza]
Age: 23
Occupation: Community Organizer
Residence: Hidalgo, Texas
Voted 2016: Hillary Clinton
Will vote in 2020: Joe Biden
Elections Main Issue: Reproductive Rights
Will you vote why / why not?
“Yes I will. From a very young age, I always knew that voting was part of our democracy and I was definitely very involved. Once I became a teenager, I began to express my opinions and be very strong about them. So, I know that voting is not It will save us in the long run, but it can definitely prevent a lot of damage from happening in our present.
“So, I will vote, especially because I understand the severity of our choices and how they can affect people in our communities whose voices are often neglected. Coming from a family where my brother is a minor, he is currently 16 years old and my mother is a legal permanent resident, I understand other families who are mixed status families and have definitely been placed in what feels like a block Butcher in the last couple of years. It is definitely something we must always remember when it comes to our privilege and our right as citizens to have a voice at the polls.
“I always knew that I wanted to vote and I think everyone should vote as our civic duty. But I wouldn’t embarrass anyone for not doing it either because it’s definitely been a very rough couple of years, especially in the spaces of movement. “
What is your number one problem?
“As someone who works on reproductive rights, it is definitely access to abortion and making sure that we are voting in a pro-choice majority within our local government, within our state governments and, of course, within our national government.
“Since the beginning of the year, honestly, abortion and access to abortion has definitely been a key and audacious point that people are trying to make. As someone who has done a lot of volunteer work with funds for abortion and volunteer work on reproductive rights, people always like to take access to abortion and reproductive health and throw it under the bus when we should be trying to protect it as much as possible. . especially for people in my community who do not have access to transportation and do not have the financial means to pay for an abortion. Definitely (abortions) can get very expensive very quickly due to the way the laws have been written and the way the laws constantly try to prevent abortions from happening when that will never be the case because abortions have been around since before for these laws to be enacted and will be present afterward. “
Who are you voting for?
“I’m giving in to Joe Biden because morally I don’t support Joe Biden. But as a social work student, who has done a lot of work on social justice and reproductive justice, I understand that I am leaning toward the lesser of two evils for most people. And, honestly, this was a very difficult decision.
“At first, I was leaning towards a more socialist candidate, and then a couple of weeks ago, I was really thinking, ‘I don’t really have to vote for a president. I don’t have a decision to make, and I can vote against the ballot the rest of the way. ‘ State and local governments matter much more to me than national governments and Texas is a very red state (it tends to vote Republicans), but not because there are many [right-wing people] to vote, but because the majority of marginalized people do not have as easy access or access to vote as others.
“But then again, talking to my friends, I know that I will have to put up with it again to vote for someone who will not harm all the people because they will still be harmed, and it is something that we have to recognize, especially within our democracy. and the way our government is run. So, I’ll end up voting for Joe Biden. Just to save the few that I can save. “
Is there a main reason why you chose your candidate?
“In the end, you do the lesser of two evils because I know it was the same way in 2016, and sad to say it was because I really would have loved to see this election go a completely different way. Living in a very capitalist society is not impossible, but it is definitely difficult for many people to understand that we should all have a basis of life in our society. There is a damage that had been done and, hopefully, it will not continue ”.
Are you happy with the state of the country?
“As a woman of color who has lived in an underserved community on the US-Mexico border, I have seen and heard many things that have been happening across the country and it feels different. Being here while watching news in Austin, where there is a lot of pushback from the police, and then watching the riots and protests surrounding the murder of George Floyd – it has been very difficult because living in the southernmost part of Texas, trying Supporting any of the grassroots work that has been done across the country is difficult, but it has been done. And it is still ongoing, especially supporting our own community after Hurricane Hannah has struck. It has been a very difficult time, especially this summer.
“The only thing we can do is keep supporting our communities, keep supporting communities that are being over-policed, keep supporting the people who are on the ground, doing the hard work, because that’s how we can continue and progress to make our country and our communities what we want to see. So no, I’m not happy, but I know that a lot of these things that are happening and that will continue to happen are building on something that you want to see in the future. “
What would you like to see changed?
“I want to see a community that continually helps each other. I grew up living in a Mexican house where the family really stays with the family. And I know that sometimes it can be wrong on our part, but it’s just a community that we’ve built within, and it’s something you see in other families of color.
“Also, a society that can function without the police and without the excessive surveillance and open militarization of the police, because I know that this is something that we have to deal with a lot here at the border. Not only have we funded police departments within each city, for the most part, but we have military, Border Patrol and ICE constantly patrolling the streets, constantly driving and being that shadow in the corner of a room because you will never be able to escape from it. So it’s definitely just police state dismantling and law enforcement because they’ve definitely been a terror to communities like mine, which are overly policed even on campuses, so I’m sure that’s something I’m always on. I think when it arrives. change.”
Do you think the elections will change anything?
“Is there going to be an immediate change? Not just when Election Day approaches and when the inauguration arrives? Perhaps within a hundred days of a new presidency. But we can definitely hope to make progress in the country. Once much of the damage that has been done is reversed. “
What is your biggest concern for the United States?
“My biggest concern as someone who has to keep following this in elections is voter suppression. I mentioned at first that Texas is a very red state, but it is a red state because there has been a lot of voter suppression, and if we had made it easier for people to vote since the beginning of the pandemic, many elections could have looked very different. So, I know what I’ve been thinking about now. But of course, there are many other things at stake as well, such as access to abortion and the Supreme Court – another Supreme Court candidate was given the power to recall Roe. [v Wade], but also like the entire state of the country … We cannot focus on just one thing. So we are really divided when it comes to thinking about the issues. I’m voting and trying to stay sane at the same time. But I don’t know if that answers the whole question because it’s a very complicated thing to think about. “
Is there anything we haven’t asked about the election that you would like to say?
“In 2016, it was my first year in college. I got really involved in politics, but if there’s one thing I don’t want a repeat of 2016 it’s the idea that we’re only voting for presidential elections because there are definitely other races that are equally important. locally and at the state level. Looking at a sample ballot beforehand and finding the candidates most aligned with you is very important.
“And also, if your vote is for damage control, that’s completely fine and shouldn’t be something you should feel guilty about, because it’s definitely up to the person themselves to feel they should vote. Voting is important, but it won’t save us either. But if we can save a few, that means it is something we must do. “
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