If you have recently read ‘The Globe” or your Twitter feed, then you are most likely aware of the event that spiraled out of control. On Oct. 9, the opinions section of “The Globe” was greeted by an article supporting an unpopular viewpoint when it comes to politics, especially in the Pittsburgh area. Since the start of the school year, word has gotten out that there is a conservative on campus. One thing led to another, and in the end, I wrote an article regarding some of the things I have dealt with while living on campus (I am not saying that I was in the right or wrong of this situation, just that I have dealt with things and that I chose to write about my experiences.) If you have not read my first article, click here to get the background information needed to fully understand the article you are reading now.

I woke up on the morning of Oct. 9 with a phone full of notifications. I opened all my Snapchats, read my Instagram DMs, then launched the Twitter app. Here is where I knew something went wrong. A Point Park University student came across my article and tweeted the link with a short little message, calling me transphobic, which I am far from. This tweet got a lot of attention, which boosted my article to the top of the trending list, so I thank the student for this outcome, but I was once again identified as something I am not. Due to the attention my article received, over 1,000 people were able to read and form opinions on my situation, one of those being Dennis McDermott. On October 16th, his article was published in the opinions section in response to my initial piece. Dennis, you asked numerous questions in “A student’s response: ‘I hope we can all learn and grow,” so I hope this response answers them all. If you are still unclear about my perspective after reading this, please feel free to contact me or write another response.

I was never genuinely interested in politics until Donald J. Trump announced his presidential bid for the 2016 election. Before, I saw politics, especially the President’s role, as a platform to get what you want, but Donald J. Trump was different…in my eyes at least. His campaign is focused on putting America first, a concept I have grown to support wholeheartedly. I am not against the President of the United States aiding other countries and supporting other territories, but America should always be the top priority. Later in the campaigning process, Trump announced a goal of his that undoubtedly became his most significant promise, yet downfall – the wall. At first, this was an idea that I was hesitant about forming an opinion on. I thought I had a set view on the topic at hand, but I was anxious about discussing it in front of my peers. After doing research and becoming more comfortable with my political views, I am now proudly able to say that I am pro-wall. This pledge of his, to build a wall at the southern border to protect the American people, is yet another reason why I began supporting Donald J. Trump early in the 2016 election, which corresponds with when my interest in politics started. We are now in 2019. Trump has not only kept his promises but continues to go above and beyond what anyone could have expected. The wall is being built at the southern border. If you support it or not, it is a campaign promise that Trump made and accomplished. Our current President also promised that he would work for no salary if elected, which is the case, showing that he is not in it for the money, but for the change necessary of restoring our country. The Trump Administration is also responsible for launching a global effort to end criminalization of homosexuality. I am not saying Donald J. Trump is perfect, Dennis, but the news and the Democratic Party makes him seem like a horrible person, when in reality he is a good guy doing good things for the country.

Dennis, you mention that I am privileged since I decided to take an interest in politics. On the other hand, you said people are “forced to take an interest in politics” due to their circumstances, whether that be facing homelessness, racism, transphobia, etc. I understand where you are coming from, but I cannot say that I agree with your statement. The whole purpose of an election is to vote for candidates who you believe will represent you best. Being forced to take an interest in politics would involve someone holding a gun to your head telling you to vote. From what I am aware of, that does not happen. There are those who do not vote, which again shows that they have no interest in voting and/or seeing change. Lastly, there are people who take advantage of the right you are given as a citizen of the United States. If you are homeless, you are most likely worried about being able to afford housing, so you get involved and vote accordingly. If you are part of the LGBT+ community and believe that you are being oppressed, you get involved and vote accordingly. I do not believe that people are forced to take an interest in politics because it is a right that we possess, so it is entirely up to them. Although, I do think it is a shame that there are people who choose not to utilize this right.

When people learn that I support the President, the question I most often receive is toward my views of the transgender community, which is a topic you brought up in your article, Dennis. Being transgender is a concept that I do not fully understand other than the fact that people are born intersex. This being said, it would be wrong for me to be against it knowing that I do not completely grasp the topic. I can say, however, that I accept everyone. I may not agree with certain things, but that does not mean I think any less of you if you agree with it. My acceptance of ‘everyone’ carries across multiple lines of identity: socioeconomic groups, races, ethnicities, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender, religion, etc.

Regarding some of the Twitter posts I have liked, which may have come across as transphobic, again, I am not against the transgender community, so please do not let these tweets change the way you see me as a person. I follow many conservative accounts on Twitter. Most likely, I was scrolling and liking every post on my feed. My close friend also requested that I retweeted one of his tweets since he was facing hate on his campus, too. Me doing so was the cause of the whole ‘transphobic tweet thread.’

Your last paragraph, Dennis, showed your opinion the most, so I plan on spending a little more time addressing these questions/concerns. You said that I was wrong in the situation I am in, but all I ever did was state my opinion and write the initial polls. I understand certain topics are sensitive to certain people, but Dennis, we are in college – the real world. These topics are things we need to think about as voters and as citizens of the United States. Yes, my neighbors were probably surprised to see political polls compared to the ones they are used to, but like I said before, there is an election coming up. It is important that we are aware of policies and ideas that make candidates stand out. The wall is the example that you brought up in your article, Dennis. The wall is sensitive topic, but it is real. If you do not support the construction of this barrier at the southern border, it is important that you stand up for what you believe in and research candidates that agree with you. However, writing phrases along the lines of “you are a c***” and “you are a racist piece of s***” on my white board is not solving anything. Doing so is causing more conflict, which is never needed. If the students who wrote these phrases knocked on my door and wanted to have a civil discussion, I would have gladly accepted this interaction, but it never happened. Instead, these students decided to vandalize my white board and run away. Due to these events, I have every right to not feel accepted on campus. It was not my intention to generalize the entire Point Park community as unaccepting, but I still stand by my words. If a small group of students make me uncomfortable to stand by my views, then this campus is not accepting.

Thank you for your response, Dennis. I am looking forward to either discussing our views in person or continuing this back and forth interaction. I hope my response cleared up your questions.