Here at Arlington High School, our Journalism program is made up of sixteen students. Compared to other schools around the country this is a pretty small number of people to be working on such a variety of subject matter. But what we lack in size we make up for in the unique way in which we see what happens around us. While some of us focus on getting the perfect picture or writing the perfect article, our goal is to give both our students and our community a means to see what happens here at AHS and also what goes on in our world.

Right now the world around us seems to be in utter chaos. With the aftermath of the election we’re forced to see what the next four years brings us. Hate crimes and protests have started to plague our nation, dividing us even further than where we once were before. No matter what side of the political spectrum you stand on, we can all agree that a nation divided is destined for failure.

Over the past few months it’s seemed that we’ve forgotten how to work together. The lines of what’s Democrat and what’s Republican have turned into radical bodies that are not in tune with what our forefathers had in mind when they envisioned this nation of ours. We’ve become out of touch on how we see people as we focus more on their political views rather than what makes them who they are.

We’ve become more focused on what color someone supports more so then what makes them the person that they are. The stereotypes in which we depict others have made us lose track of their unique backgrounds and personal experiences. What once made us embrace others for their differences has been blinded by our inability to see someone else’s point of view. There’s a reason why someone voted for the candidate that they did. It’s our duty to accept that and move forward as one.

Change is marked by making strides and can only be furthered by an acceptance of coexistence. Instead of bashing one side for their political preferences we need to come together and talk about why they feel that way. We need to talk about what changes need to be made to our country and how we can properly carry out the legacy of our forefathers.

It may feel like many of the choices our government makes are out of our control. But when we come together as one, the possibilities of what we can influence are endless. With that power comes a great responsibility and it’s our duty to hold ourselves in a positive light that’s inclusive of all people, regardless of their race, sexual orientation, or religious denomination. How we choose to carry ourselves and handle each situation is what will mark us as a generation.

Our staff encourages everyone to come together to better themselves. We need to stop seeing people as the monsters that we paint them as in our heads. We need to end the wave of panic that’s been cast on this great country of ours. We need to get rid of the labels that we paint others with, because at the end of the day we’re all the same thing, Americans.

With open minds and open hearts,

Arlington High School Journalism