In the United States, political divisiveness is often covered in the media. Whether it’s President Donald Trump’s policies or speculation regarding the 2028 Democratic Party primaries, it’s become an inescapable topic for the average American.
Since the 2016 election, the nation has shifted away from moderate and bipartisan politics and towards more extreme affairs of state.
Some people think the Republican Party has rearranged its main ideologies, backing away from the moderate stances of John McCain and Mitt Romney, and instead moving further right on the political spectrum to build a strong foundation around President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, others would say the Democratic Party has made a series of moves to appeal to politically moderate Americans, unsuccessfully attempting to build their new foundation around former Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election, causing some voters to instead back the Green Party’s nominee, perennial candidate Jill Stein.
According to NPR, 70% of Americans feel as if they are on edge or afraid because of the current political state in the country.
When asked if he considered himself part of the 70%, Northern Essex Community College student Grey Smolar said “Yes, because if you look at what’s happening currently with our president, where he’s stating frivolous stuff like ‘Tylenol causes autism,’ that’s gonna cause people to be on edge.”
He further stated “It stresses me out a lot, because we don’t know what’s coming next.”
Smolar’s thoughts are echoed by many other Americans, who feel as if political divisiveness is not only growing, but starting to trickle down into other aspects of everyday life.
One prominent example of the divisiveness spreading is the suspension of the ABC late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Kimmel has been a strong opponent of the second Trump administration, and has publicly called out many conservatives, including President Trump, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and White House Deputy Policy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. During the opening monologue of his Sept. 15 show, Kimmel criticized these figures over the finger pointing and blaming of the fatal shooting of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk on the “radical left.”
After backlash from may prominent conservative figures, the show was placed under indefinite suspension, which lasted from Sept. 17 to Sept. 23, shocking many and causing backlash from more liberal viewers. Despite the suspension ending on Sept, 23, ABC affiliates owned by Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group continued to boycott the show until Sept. 26.
One Northern Essex Community College student, Rowan Rockwell, felt that it was a violation of free speech and stated “I’m glad this gripped people, because it’s important that free speech be taken seriously, and I don’t think it has been for a while now.”
Now, amidst a government shutdown, many feel as if the political state of the country is only going to get worse.
University of New Hampshire student and Northern Essex Community College alum Jasmine Dionne says she’s afraid of the current division because “no one can have a civil conversation about it without there being an argument.”
Dionne also says that she feels frustrated regarding the political climate.
Right now, America is divided, but on the campus of Northern Essex Community College, students say they wish for a sense of unity.
