This November has been one of the most tumultuous months of our lives. Following an intense election week that ultimately favored Joe Biden, Donald Trump has fought long and hard to keep his seat in office with constant demands of mail-in vote recounts. Alas, even he had to allow the transition of his administration to begin on Nov. 23.

Joe Biden promises a stronger campaign against COVID-19, as well as a more united America following the polarizing and hateful rhetoric that defined Donald Trump and his administration’s internal policies. The Guilfordian has extensively covered the harm Trump’s words and the actions of his administration caused throughout his term, as they have gone against the core values and identity of Guilford and many of its students.

Donald Trump is perhaps the most scrutinized president of our generation, but that does not mean that Joe Biden should not be held to a similar level of accountability. His acceptance of the endorsements of ex-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder should remain a source of criticism considering Snyder’s involvement in the Flint water crisis. 

As the Moderna and Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines are sent to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency authorization, we place our hopes on Biden’s COVID-19 task force. This force consists of former advisors to the Obama administration, as well as biomedical and biochemical experts such as Rick Bright and Zeke Emanuel. 

Emanuel served as a former advisor to the Obama administration on the Affordable Care Act. According to The Hill, Bright was forced out of his position as Director of Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority earlier this year, following his promotion of unequal treatment. There is cause for trepidation with who Biden accepts endorsements from and appoints, so it is important to hold everyone accountable during these trying times.

December is a series of endings. It marks the end of the semester, the end of the Guilfordian’s 2020 run, and the end of Donald Trump’s hectic four-year term. As Joe Biden’s inauguration draws closer, we must prepare to hold him to a higher standard. 

According to The New York Times, he has appointed several Latino officials, including Xavier Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Alejandro Mayorkas as Secretary of Homeland Security. However, a symbolic political victory for Hispanics is merely the start of what will hopefully be a more diverse cabinet and administration.

According to The New York Times, Joe Biden urged the American people to “remember we’re at war with the virus, not with one another, not with each other.” It is the duty of the Guilford community and all who live in the United States to hold Biden to these words if we wish to make 2021 a time of healing.