The 2016 elections have created more antagonism amongst disagreeing voters than ever before. While some are lost in inaccurate news, unconfirmed accusations, and uncertainty, others stand firm in their choice for President.
Junior Brooke Wilczewski is among those who spiritedly support their candidate—in this case, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
“I have admired and supported Hillary from day one. This is an election between a man who has no right to be running for the office of President and the statistically most qualified candidate we have ever seen,” Wilczewski said.
Wilczewski attended the Clinton rally on Aug. 1 at Omaha North High School. Acceptance, inspiration, and hope were all themes that were persistent among the supporters and speakers at the rally.
“The environment was exhilarating. Every man, woman, teen, and child who was there in support of Hillary was open and welcoming. I felt hope for this election, hope for our country, hope for every child I saw chanting her name in the hope of a better tomorrow,” Wilczewski said.
Like any political event, members of the opposite side were also in attendance to voice their views. It didn’t take long for protesters and conspiracy theorists to gain attention.
“[The protesters] were extremely ill-informed, chanting conspiracy theories proven false weeks before the election. They were verbally violent. They verbally attacked a six year old girl who I eventually stepped in front of and defended,” Wilczewski said.

While this type of intervention may seem discouraging, it actually brought out solidarity and support amongst the Clinton supporters in the crowd.
“After my mom stepped in and defended me, the other supporters did the same. They were eloquently spoken, respectful, and responded with indisputable fact. The protesters ultimately went back to their theories and left us all alone,” Wilczewski said.

After being inspired by the Clinton rally, Wilczewski took the opportunity to speak with members of Clinton’s campaign team and promote her campaign in any way possible.
“I am extremely open about my beliefs. I continue to use social media as a positive outlet for voters to stay informed and hopefully understand their options when it comes to the current election,” Wilczewski said.
During such a heated political season, it’s easy to get caught up in misleading information. Yet through discussion and proper education, Wilczewski believes that students have the ability to get involved in the conversation.
“I disagree with 98.5% of what Donald Trump says, but there is some truth when he said that the media is heavily influencing this campaign,” Wilczewski said. “I think it’s time that schools open up discussions on these topics—not yelling matches about who is right and wrong, but intelligent discussions to make sure future voters are well-informed.”