By EMMA LAUS
A few weeks ago, my friend Tazia Machl’27 asked if I wanted to attend the Kamala Harris rally in Madison. Having fallen into the melancholy of routine and desperately seeking an off-campus escape, I immediately said yes. Besides some musical performances that seemed fun, I didn’t expect much from the rally itself — I don’t particularly enjoy hearing politicians speak and find it difficult to overcome a feeling of disillusionment as they make the same promises over and over again.
Nevertheless, I anticipated the event all week and finally, the day came. We waited outside the Alliant Energy Center for an hour, scanning the neverending crowd of attendees. Finally, after obtaining chips and nacho cheese that looked like insulation, we sat down. Joyous music resonated through the stadium and people danced in their seats, waving American flags and “Vote!” signs. An overwhelming sense of hope rippled through the giant crowd, and despite my cynicism, the optimism was contagious. With the size and energy of the crowd, it seemed impossible that Harris would achieve anything other than a victory come election night, and that feeling was reassuring.
Before Harris came on stage, several Wisconsin politicians spoke. I didn’t know much about any of them except that Tammy Baldwin had apparently become “way too radical during her time in Congress,” according to an Eric Hovde-sponsored YouTube ad. However, each one received a standing ovation and seemed well-loved so Tazia and I cheered along too. At around 8 p.m. the crowd began anticipating Harris’ entrance; everyone stood up and excitedly peered down at the stage. But then the announcer welcomed in some UW Madison student named Brad and everyone sat right back down. Anyways, after a short speech, he announced Harris.
About five minutes into her speech, Harris launched into a vague statement addressing Israel’s war on Gaza. In the aisle next to us, two people who looked like students stood up, holding a small handmade sign, and began chanting “Stop funding genocide.” They started walking down the aisle and were immediately escorted out by security. Harris seemed unphased, saying “Everyone deserves a chance to speak, but right now I’m speaking,” before continuing her speech, receiving even more applause than before. I was most shocked by the reaction from those around us. A girl behind us turned to her friend with a hurt expression and said “That was so fucking rude.” A man in front of us rolled his eyes, saying, “Okay, but what about America?”
Tazia and I left about two minutes later. The situation was like a jolt back to reality and the comments from our neighbors made it even worse. The solidarity among a crowd hoping to keep Trump out of office was now weaponized against the protestors. How could we move on from this so quickly? Why did it seem like the only emotion the people surrounding us felt was annoyance at what they seemed to perceive as a slight inconvenience? Often in order to be effective, protesting must be “rude.” It’s not supposed to be respectful or convenient, particularly when lives are at stake.
It’s important to make space for protestors, because silencing opposition in an environment edging on idolism is dangerous. Showing a politician support on a ballot doesn’t mean that we should place them on a pedestal. This campaign cycle, Harris’ team heavily relied on pop culture references for social media promotion and merchandise, which I’m sure isn’t a new phenomenon, and it’s definitely not unique to Harris. However, this can make it easy to see her more for her personality and silly moments (You think you fell out of a coconut tree?) than for her political record and plans for the future.
An event like a political rally is the perfect time for protesters’ voices to be heard, and to deny that right is to silence them. Their words have the ability to bring people back to reality and to put pressure on Harris, reminding her of voter’s values. Of course, it’s okay to feel hope. But hope must come with the recognition that putting one’s entire faith in a politician is almost always fruitless. People living both in the U.S. and across the world are failed by the United States government every day, no matter who is in office. While we may have to settle at the polls, this doesn’t mean that we should settle when it comes to accepting actions the government makes or laws that are or are not passed.
Prioritizing Harris’s feelings over the voices of our peers is dangerous — now that Trump has won, community is all we have. The left is infamously divided, but now is the most important time to act in solidarity and show up for our communities and those around us. Look up volunteering opportunities nearby, follow mutual aid sites, vote in local elections, support community members and friends in any way you can. Although it sounds cliche, no action, donation or gesture is too small.
Featured Image: Emma Laus regressing into a child in front of Kamala Harris; by Sophia Nitsche’25
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