Petal Panorama

When I was in kindergarten, I wanted to be president, a task said to be achievable by anyone with love for their country. As we’ve seen, it’s quite easy to get into the Oval Office, but what happens when everything you stand for comes from fear? And how does it affect the trajectory of your country and your peers?

White fragility, a term coined by sociologist Robin DiAngelo, refers to the defensive reactions some white individuals exhibit when their racial views are challenged. This phenomenon has been instrumental in the Republican Party’s strategy to scapegoat minorities during times of crisis. By stoking fears of demographic change and economic insecurity, the party has managed to rally a significant portion of the white electorate around policies that marginalize people of color. Since taking office, we have seen a massive increase in discrimination coming from our top leaders. The main workforce of America is being exiled to foreign nations far from home. Rollbacks on policies and departments put in place to keep society safe and equal have been significant. The change you cried for has arrived, but at what cost?

White fragility has been prevalent throughout American history, but it has become more pronounced in recent years, particularly during the Trump administration. The last decade has seen a significant shift in the outlook on minorities, with economic decline exacerbating fears and anxieties among white Americans. Problems they once deemed above them due to their social and racial standing are now at the forefront of their minds—healthcare issues, rising prices, and the cost of living. All things they designed to succeed in are now failing. The decline of the economy has disproportionately affected minority communities, leading to increased scapegoating and discrimination. As economic conditions worsen, white Americans have increasingly blamed minorities for their struggles, further entrenching racial divides. The easiest way to make yourself feel better about something is to make someone else feel worse. The only logical thing in the mind of the white and supreme is to place the blame on those they deem unfit. The only way to combat this and start moving past this horribly long page in history is to have the difficult conversations. Understand that white fragility refers to the defensive reactions some white people have when confronted with racial issues. Take time to reflect on your own biases and how they may affect your interactions with others. This can be uncomfortable, but it’s a crucial step. If we don’t recognize the flaws in our views and our pasts, we are doomed to repeat the same cycles our ancestors commenced. Not all traditions are good ones to have.

When white fragility is left unchecked, it can foster an environment of denial and resentment towards efforts to address systemic racism. As a result, white fragility can inadvertently fuel the growth of hate groups by providing a breeding ground for their divisive and harmful ideologies to take root and spread. These groups have capitalized on white fear and economic insecurity to spread their toxic ideologies. We have seen a disgustingly large increase in groups trying to demonstrate power in places like Nashville and Cincinnati. Though they quickly back down when confronted with community members, they demonstrate and prove their own fears; they are scared.

President Trump’s administration has ramped up deportation efforts, with a significant increase in arrests and removals and prominent social media posts creating a big production. This can be seen in agents storming schools and ambushing families, trapping migrants who are currently in legal proceedings to obtain documentation. Notably, the administration has started transferring some migrants to detention centers at Guantanamo Bay. This move has faced legal and ethical challenges. This move was intended to detain individuals deemed high-priority criminal aliens. However, reports indicate that both high-risk and low-risk migrants have been sent to the facility. In 2002, the Guantanamo Bay detention camp was opened to house suspected terrorists captured by U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. The facility quickly became infamous for alleged human rights violations, including torture and indefinite detention without trial. This is where he is sending our loved ones, reopening the doors to a facility known as a “legal black hole” where they can potentially be held with no judicial oversight.

In other parts, Panama has been a big discussion lately. It has become a key transit point for U.S. deportation policy. Recently, deportees have been housed in a “luxury” hotel in Panama City as they await further decisions about their fate. Though interviews and reports paint a different story. Detainees have reported being cut off from access to legal counsel and other rights. Their personal freedoms are restricted, and they face strict vigilance from guards. Some have described being followed even when they go to the toilet. Initially, many of the deportees were held in hotel rooms in Panama City, where they were guarded by police and not allowed to leave. Around 40% of the migrants refused to return to their countries, citing fear of returning, many coming from Syria and Iraq where political persecution and conflicts are ongoing. Those who refused have been sent to the rural migrant camp in the Darien province. Fearing for their lives and wishing for freedom, here they will be confined and monitored daily for unprecedented amounts of time.

Clearing out his country of migrants is not enough. Trump has also now taken a controversial stance on Gaza, proposing that the United States “take over” the territory and transform it into a luxury resort area, dubbed “Trump Gaza.” This plan has faced significant backlash from various international leaders and human rights organizations, who argue that it disregards the rights and sovereignty of the Palestinian people. This plan involves relocating the Palestinian population to neighboring countries like Jordan and Egypt and redeveloping Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East”. Approximately 48,200 Palestinians have been killed, with more than half of the casualties being women and children. The conflict lasted for approximately 467 days, starting on October 7, 2023, and a ceasefire was reached on January 19, 2025. Up to 80% of Gaza’s infrastructure has been destroyed, including homes, schools, hospitals, and essential services. A blockade and restrictions on humanitarian aid have severely limited access to food, clean water, and medical supplies. Many people are struggling to find enough to eat, and diseases are spreading due to poor sanitation and contaminated water. Yet, he wants to create profits off this bleeding piece of land he has done nothing for.

If we take a stroll back to the office, federal funding cuts and freezes initiated by the Trump administration are causing disruptions in public education, with potential reductions in extracurricular activities, special education programs, and support for high-poverty schools. The dismantling of the Department of Education, as proposed by the Trump administration, has created uncertainty and disruptions in the financial aid process. The potential elimination or reassignment of federal financial aid programs, such as Pell Grants and work-study funds, could lead to delays in grant disbursement, changes in eligibility criteria, and increased administrative overhead. This has raised concerns among students and educators about the future of educational funding and access to higher education. Not only that, but Trump is also playing with the health insurance of 29.8 million people. The repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) have significant implications for healthcare and nutrition assistance programs. The repeal would eliminate Medicaid expansion, income-based subsidies for purchasing insurance, and various insurance market reforms, leading to higher premiums and reduced access to healthcare. This would also result in the loss of 1.2 million jobs, not just in healthcare but across various sectors. The Biden administration had previously increased the benefits for fruits and vegetables, but recent budget cuts have reduced the amount of milk and dairy products available to WIC families, leaving many families worried about how they will feed their infants and care for them properly. Healthcare and food—aren’t these what we all need to live?

Though the year has just started, we can have a little ease knowing lawmakers, congressmen, and officials are hard at work making sure our rights stay intact. It is important to keep up to date on topics and see what we can do as communities to support each other. Knowledge is power, and the more we open our eyes to the world, the more we will understand the pain and suffering around the world, and hopefully hold more compassion. President Trump is on what I deem a massive hate tour, and we the people must make sure the balances in our government remain as they are written. White fragility is on the rise, and so are hate groups. We are all being affected by these changes and moves in the government. Don’t let it catch you by surprise.