Mend

This year, I was not able to partake and watch one of, if not, Juniata College’s greatest tradition, the Bailey Oratorical. I was filming a short film that I have been working on for about 3 months now. It’s titled, Tetrasomia, and it is an experimental piece that focuses on camera movement and music; instead of the commonly utilized plot and dialogue. I provide these details, because I feel that the project coincides exactly with the question the orators were faced with this year.

How can we use the values of our liberal arts education to heal divides in our nation and world?

I watched the live stream immediately after I was finished wrapping the shoot; while I had to for my Social Media course, I also have watched the contest every year I have been here, because I have a love for what it stands. But this question, this topic, has an almost angst filled level of urgency this year. Our nation has seen a great change in the past months, whether you view this as an essential change, or a monumental step back — nonetheless, a change has occurred. I have seen some of the greatest protests the USA has ever held, I’ve seen ignorance take the place of intellectualism, and I have witnessed the worst come out of people.

These ideas, are why I feel that I should have included my short film. As an artist, I believe that true and pure art must eliminate all political stances, the viewers should not know if a director is a liberal or a conservative at the end of the film. So with this newest project, I have eliminated any inkling of my political mind. There is no dialogue, no concrete story line, no undertones filled with commentary; it is just a film.

This project exemplifies what I think needs to happen, scratch that, what I believe should happen in order to mend our great nation. We must separate the person, the art, the orator, for their fundamental self. I find myself drawing parallels with the first contestant, Claire DeLaval, and her experience. She saw a division and collision with her fellow students at Juniata and her peers at the fire hall. I face this dilemma as well, just like most Americans. I am supported by liberal intellectuals at school, while I return home to York, a red county. My high school and hometown, Dallastown, is a conglomerate of city, suburb, and rural areas. My whole life has been a clash between political ideologies. My father is a conservative, my mother a liberal; but, they both taught me the same thing, articulate your own opinions based on ferocious reading. I did just that. And now, as I stand back and look over my decisions, I realize that I have been able to achieve what I wanted — separate those from their political views.

We must begin to follow this pattern, just because someone voted for Trump, does not mean automatically that they are racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic. Just because someone voted for Hillary, does not mean that they are irrational “snowflakes” *cough* Tomi Lahren *cough* These people, including myself, voted with who aligns with their political views and in most cases, is the only reason why.

So instead of threatening each other, instead of berating each other, let us partake in open dialogues and arguments. Force each other to defend their views, and respectfully disagree and state your views. If we work to build each other up, instead of tearing down; we then have an opportunity to utilize these liberal arts degrees for good. Then, and only then, can we begin to mend our nation back together.