The Falcon can attest to the belief that freedom of speech and the Democratic process are integral in forming a healthier society. When the staff meets before an issue is printed, almost every detail in each section is parsed over and debated among the editors. Debating guidelines and considering the opinions of the team are integral to the function of an institution — President Donald Trump’s decision to pull American support from Kurdistan does not live up to this spirit.

This unilateral decision blatantly disregarded the decades-long diplomatic and military cooperation — all of which was available in the form of history and advisors, to inform the President. According to the United Nations, approximately 130,000 Kurds have lost their homes, and another few hundred have been killed by Turkish, Russian, Syrian, Iranian or ISIS forces since Trump’s decision. 

The current Falcon staff has been skeptical of Donald Trump’s administration since his first day in office. Throughout his term, the president has failed to recognize abuses of basic human rights, both domestic and abroad. His continuous breaches of public trust have made us look to what we consider to be the basic tenets of Democracy: shared responsibility, shared decision-making and the unassailable right to universal freedom of political expression. It is apparent to The Falcon that the president of the United States does not abide by these tenants. 

Students and faculty at SPU, and the entire nation for that matter, need to reevaluate what comes naturally to a just leader. After three years in office, the political culture of the United States has almost exclusively revolved around the consistently unethical actions of the President. This phenomenon indicates that the President does not share our values of a Democratic society. 

Making unilateral decisions and disregarding advice from advisers is not, and should not be, the values that are sought after in a model leader. The Falcon sees the actions the President has taken in Turkey and Syria and feels that the trust of the American people in the government has nowhere to go but down. 

America’s institutions have a responsibility not only to its citizens but also to the people they promise to support. Democracy should be a constant uphill battle where political authority is not consolidated, but rather challenged and constructed upon by all voices.