PROGRESS or regress?
Between 2014 and 2016 America had some important historical events that are worth mentioning. In 2014 America's foreign relations were improving. For example, relations with counties such as Cuba were changing. President Obama declared that the U.S. would begin restoring diplomatic relations with Cuba by re-opening an embassy in Havana and softening the travel restrictions on the long-banned country. In June 26, 2015 the United States Supreme Court issued the decision to make same-sex marriage legal in all states. However, some states were not happy about such decision and refused to comply. Nevertheless, same-sex marriage was now the law of the land across all 50 states. But if many local governments made up of anti-LGBT marriage politicians, then how would it ever be possible to reach true marriage equality?
America took a few steps back from progress when a mass shooting occured at a gay club, Pulse, in Orlando on June 2016. 49 people were killed and 53 were wounded. This horrific terrorist attack made many Americans question gun laws. According to The New York Times, vast majority of guns used in the recent mass shootings were bought legally and with a federal background check. Because of this legality, many Americans were driven to protest and speak out against gun violence, gun control laws, LGBT rights, and American-Islamic relations. They greatly held responsibility to accomplish their goals and moral accountability in the hands of governmental leadership.
The Black Lives Matter movement was also on the rise as Americans across the country began mass protests and counter-protests regarding police brutality. A string of what seemed to be racially-biased homocides at the hands of law enforcement attracted both media and public attention.
Despite all of this, the USA was faced with a weighty choice in the form of the U.S. Presidential Elections. The main three candidates at the foreground of the primary debates were Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. They were later cut down to the two major opponents, Hillary and Trump. Donald Trump, who represents the Republican party lost the popular vote but won the electoral college majority. Trump’s election scared a lot of people as many fear deportation, or loss of previously-granted rights. However, he also gained a massive amount of avid supporters, who often see past his boisterous rhetoric and see a real savior for the US economy.