Opinion | What I learned about Trump’s America on the eve of Election Day
The views of upset, alienated and aggressive voters served as a harbinger of Donald Trump’s second rise to power
It was a misty autumn evening, unusually warm, with rain falling softly through the wind. I stepped out of my cab and hurried towards Van Andel Arena, one of the largest public venues in Michigan, located in Grand Rapids, the state’s second-largest city.
The intersection was blocked by police vans and the nearby street was lined with “Make America great again” merchandise stalls. Before me stretched a sea of people who had donned colourful MAGA hats, jackets and flags.
The rally was perfect for my assignment that day: to capture the energy, voices and atmosphere of the election on the ground. I decided to approach a few attendees – mostly men of various ages and races – to ask what brought them to the rally.
In New York and Washington, I heard about families growing apart and friendships ending over political ideologies. However, this was the first time I had witnessed such raw anger and division first-hand.