Trump visit ignites conflict, conversation as countdown to election continues
On August 17th, President Donald Trump visited Oshkosh on the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee. At the rally, held at Wittman Regional Airport, Trump rallied supporters to vote in the election on November 3.
Before, during, and after the event, protesters and counter-protesters tirelessly marched and chanted near the rally location. There were no confrontations with police and protests appeared peaceful. Protesters such as senior Ellie Potratz went to the event for a variety of reasons and hit the site early, seeking to elicit conversation with Trump supporters.
Photo Courtesy of John Weigand
“One conversation I had was with a guy who was about 50,” she said. “We actually had a good conversation because he didn’t realize some of the negative things Trump had done to the LGBTQ community.”
A common site at the rally was the lack of masks, many disregarding measures recommended by many scientists, including the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci. Of course, these measures have been a point of controversy for those who believe that the impact of Covid is exaggerated. Trump himself has been reluctant to wear a mask. Senior Mercedes Stromberg visited Trump supporters right before the appearance, just to see how the rally and protesting would go.
“We got a bunch of weird looks for even wearing masks,” she said, referring to her family. “I was only there to check it out, but felt like I was out of place and shouldn’t have been there.”
At the rally, the president denounced “fake news”, rioting, and far-left cancel culture. He promised to defend American history, heroes, faith, values, and way of life. This included a lot of talk about standing with law enforcement, which has become a very large issue for many conservative, rural Americans. Potratz also mentioned she had learned more about the economic effects of Trump’s presidency.
“He made the point that he [Trump] helped to fix the economy and work force up until Covid hit,” she said. “He gave the point that he created about four million jobs, and unemployment hit an all time low during the presidency pre-Covid. Before that conversation, I didn’t pay much attention to Trump's economy.”
An anonymous student illustrated that one important part about rallies was the appearance of the politician in the flesh. Trump’s appearance, like that of other politicians, was to not just spread his opinion, but to relate to supporters.
“It really shows that he’s a person, and not just this dude that’s trying to rule,” an anonymous student said. “It really helps spread support to people that support seeing you as a person versus someone that they just see on the tv.”
The anonymous student believed that the most significant part of Trump’s speech were his thoughts on protests because it created a good sense of direction.
Photo Courtesy of Allison Kelley
“He really just slammed down on how he thought of the rioters burning things down and stuff like that,” they said. “While he was okay with the peaceful protests, he really took a harsh tone to the violent part of the protests.”
Another protester, senior Lexy Manning, claimed a presence at the protest and expressed a strong personal desire to attend the rally.
“I wanted to speak out about what I believe in: supporting the groups that are against Donald Trump and what he stands for,” she said. “There are a lot of racist things he’s said and a lot of the social injustices going on with minority groups.”
Despite two opposite forces joining together in a close vicinity, no real clashing occurred. An anonymous student clarified that they were not really all that heated about the protesters, but rather confused.
“At the end of the day people will voice their opinion, but I think that it was pointless because Trump isn’t gonna support the criminals that BLM is trying to portray as martyrs for black people and neither am I,” they said.
Politicians hold rallies for a number of reasons, including energizing their supporters and making them feel like an important part of the political decisions being carried out. They generally campaign in states where a majority of the population is likely to vote for them, or in sway states. Different topics may be discussed which are important for their campaign and their voters’ desires.
“Politicians typically talk about the issues that will help them get re-elected,” history teacher Daniel Lewis said. “They will try and make themselves look good.”
States where the population could vote one way or another are known as “Battleground States,” meaning the voters could shift their decisions based on the attention they are given and whether or not politicians address their wants or needs in general.
“Wisconsin has a privilege of being a very important battleground state within the Electoral College,” Lewis said.
Photo Courtesy of Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
Trump walks into the Oshkosh rally, the crowd cheering for him. Several hundred people attended the event that day.
The importance of listening to a candidate’s plans and choosing who to represent the American people is an idea Stromberg strongly urges.
“American government, no matter how you feel about it or how you want it to change, literally affects every aspect every day, every minute, every year of your entire life,” she said. “Your taxes, your job, what you can sell. Everything you do is regulated by the government.”
Manning strives to point out that knowing not just the candidate, but the character of the politician taking a vote. With Wisconsin's volatile position in mind, she believes it is vital for each individual to have a strong understanding of their political candidate; to understand the reliability of the candidate they choose.
“It’s important to know what’s going on in our country because it does affect the lives of everybody in our country,” she said. “They can do things that go against your beliefs, things that can hurt the country or things that make the country better—but you need to know what they’re going to be doing.
By Marcus Wakefield and Sam Mollenhauer
Oshkosh West Index Volume 117 Issue I
October 2nd, 2020