International student voices on America’s charged political climate

By Ben Konuch

As an election year rips through America, a divided political climate claws at Christians and non-Christians alike — college students are no exception, even those from outside the country. 

Cedarville University is home to over 5,000 undergraduate students who all face the political rhetoric of America at a crossroad. Of that number, over 15% of total undergraduate students are from other countries, meaning that over 750 international students face a charged political climate that is utterly foreign to them.

Most American students at Cedarville are caught up in navigating the politics only for themselves. However, an increased understanding of their international neighbors could not only help these foreign students better understand America, but illuminate new light into American politics through their unique perspectives. International students bring their own background, culture and personal experiences with different political systems. Seeing America through their eyes can shine wisdom into the clutter of an often-overwhelming political climate.

Some students come from backgrounds where democracy is a foreign concept, and others come from regions where democracy is similar to America, but with vast amounts of different political parties. How these students view democracy gives key insight into how American Christians can utilize it properly.

“Americans take for granted how special it is to have a democracy,” said Helen Huffman, a senior from Thailand. “Our king commands the police and the army and can make the decision to raid homes at any moment, could outlaw Christianity with one word and when our last king died, we had a mandated year of mourning.”

For students like Huffman, the democracy Americans treat as common practice is a privilege rarely seen. Americans may be accustomed to elections, but with many countries unable to vote and express their beliefs on the ballot, they may take them for granted.

Respect and honor for leaders are biblically mandated for Christians to follow, but does the American church often remember this during election cycles? Huffman’s criticism can be seen echoed across the nation from both the left and the right in recent years, with “Impeach 45” and “Let’s Go Brandon” flags standing side-by-side in dishonoring the people behind policies.

“I’m surprised how little respect both candidates and the election process receive,” Huffman said. “There seems to be no respect towards leaders in America during elections.”

Other students hail from countries where elections are free and democratic, but where Christians seldom hold public office. Jernice Toh, a junior student from Malaysia, understands this background perfectly. Malaysia is majority Muslim, and finding a Christian running for office in the nation is a rarity that serves as both a blessing and a curse.

“We know we will never see a Christian as president, so we can’t put our religion into politics when we vote,” Toh said. “This helps us stay in constant prayer for God to give His wisdom to those we know would not have it on their own.”

The words of Toh for Malaysia echo the words of Huffman for America and point to the need for renewed prayer for public officials. In Americans’ fever for freedom and the responsibility to elect new leaders, God may get removed from the equation in practice while not in word. Churches and evangelists alike frequently preach on God’s sovereignty over politics or pray for the outcome of elections, but do those prayers and trust end when the “wrong” candidate is declared the winner? 

“I do see a lot of prayer for politics in America, but for us back home who have to vote for candidates who are not Christian, prayer in the church takes on a whole new life,” Toh said. “It seems a lot easier in America to accidentally put prayer for God’s involvement at just who gets elected, not prayer for the everyday moments of decisions and policies wisdom that no human leader can have wisdom to make on their own.”

Despite these perspectives and lessons that these students have to offer, most international students are too afraid to speak their minds. Whether it be fear of ignorance for the American political system or fear of mockery or condemnation from their peers, many international students stay clear of any political discussions for their own social survival. 

“As an international, I usually keep quiet when politics get brought up,” said Divine Gadi, a senior student from India. “Oftentimes people shut me down in arguments by saying that I’m ‘just not American,’ but if we viewed politics differently, there would be no true arguments, only discussions.”

Not every perspective or critique given from one culture to another is a fair one, nor does every criticism bear full truth. Each culture, and each perspective, does have its own methodology and reasoning for why it functions as it does. But if American Christians have the courage to invite opinions from other perspectives, and to prayerfully listen and weigh them, perhaps America can heal its weary political spirit through the perspectives of those who see with different lenses.

Ben Konuch is a senior Strategic Communication student who serves as a writer mainly for Cedars A&E and as their social media lead. He enjoys getting sucked into good stories, playing video games and swing dancing in the rain.