I awoke Saturday morning to a slew of headlines announcing Kanye West is running for president. This news, along with the flood of “KANYE 2020” tweets and comments that followed, left me in a spiral of dread that I haven’t been able to break.
I have spent the last 120 days in quarantine. I missed my high school graduation. I, like the generation that proceeded mine, will be entering the workforce in one of the greatest recessions in American history. Friends of mine are no longer going to college come fall because their parents have lost their jobs. My freshman year of college will be spent wearing a face mask every day while I lie awake at night worrying if my loved ones will contract the virus.
And now, in the midst of all this turmoil, I am being told that Kanye West is using this election to bolster his own ego. I want to clarify that I am not under the illusion that Kanye West could be our next president. However, I am aware that Kanye announcing his bid will likely persuade critical constituencies to vote for him over a more qualified candidate, thus crowd the field and skew the election.
As an 18-year-old, currently observing everything happening in America, I find this announcement absolutely abhorrent. Right now is not the time for celebrities to insert themselves into political life to seek validation. Kanye and his wife, Kim Kardashian West, have two of the largest social media platforms in America to speak on issues, raise money, and increase awareness. This only further proves that Kanye is using this bid for the presidency to fulfill some personal desire to solidify historical significance and power rather than impact meaningful change.
So I am going to do what Kim and Kanye won’t, and utilize whatever platform I have to speak out. To all the young people out there: please register to vote! Research your candidates thoroughly and determine who you want to usher us into this next decade. And above all else, we all must reflect on what we decide to empower. Our clicks, follows and views have an immense impact on the national conversation. We can decide whether or not we want our politics sensationalized.
Finally, I have one message for Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West: My future is not your vanity project.
Shannon O’Hare
Chugiak
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