选择2020——尝试积极地学习和了解，而不是固执己见

我的学生经常问我有关美国政治的问题。作为一名终身学习历史的学生，我经常告诉我的学生，学习和了解情况比对美国的政治氛围做出情绪化的反应要重要得多。

处在历史性的冠状病毒大流行、经济困难和对种族主义的清算之时，今年11月，美国人将决定未来四年由谁领导国家。许多国际学生都在焦虑、恐惧和紧张地关注着这个选举季。不管我们的政治意识形态或情绪如何，重要的是去了解2020年的选举，把我们的偏好和感受放在一边。

距离几代人以来最重要、最具争议的选举还有六个星期，而这场选举似乎每天都会带来有新的愤怒、争议和危机感。

就在我写这篇文章的时候，最高法院大法官鲁斯·巴德·金斯伯格(Ruth Bader Ginsburg)上周五去世，围绕着接替她的政治战线，更是火上浇油。当然，还有一个严峻的里程碑，美国死于冠状病毒的人数超过了20万人。毫无疑问，未来还会有更多的危机。

我强烈建议每一个国际学生都去看Frontline出品的新纪录片。自1988年以来，在每一次总统选举的准备阶段，《选择》这部纪录片都讲述两位主要政党候选人相互交织的传记，每个选举周期，候选人都有自己独特的主题。毫无疑问，今年的主题是危机。观看链接：https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/the-choice-2020-trump-vs-biden/

这部纪录片聚焦于特朗普总统和前副总统乔·拜登从童年起是如何在危机中成长起来的，以及这些挑战是如何塑造了他们领导处于危机中的国家的不同方式。

这部纪录片将听取每位候选人的朋友、家人、同事和批评者的意见。我们还将了解这两人在一生中是如何应对危机和冲突的。无论谁将在2021年1月宣誓就任总统，我们都希望能从中获得宝贵的见解，了解他们将如何应对所面临的巨大挑战。

我给我所有的学生的建议是: 尝试积极地学习和了解，而不是固执己见。

英文原文：

My students often ask me about politics in America. As a lifelong history student, I usually tell my students that it is far more essential to learn and be informed than emotionally reacting to America’s political atmosphere.

In the midst of the historic coronavirus pandemic, economic hardship, and a reckoning over racism, this November, Americans will decide who leads the nation for the next four years. Many international students are watching this election season with anxiety, fear, and stress. Regardless of our political ideologies or emotions, it is far more crucial to be informed about the 2020 election and put aside our preferences and feelings.

We are six weeks from one of the most essential and contentious elections in generations, and every day seems to bring a new outrage, controversy, or crisis.  

As I am writing this article, the political battle lines surrounding the replacement of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg following her death on Friday is adding more fuel to the fire. And of course, the grim milestone that the US passed 200,000 deaths from the coronavirus. No doubt, there will be more crises in the days to come.  

I highly recommend every international student to watch the new Frontline documentary. In the run-up to every presidential election since 1988, The Choice, a documentary featuring interwoven biographies of the two major-party candidates, Each election cycle, the candidates have had their unique themes. This year, there is no question: The theme is crisis.  

The Choice 2020, zeros in on how President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden each have been forged by their crises, from childhood onward – and how those challenges have shaped their very different approaches to leading a nation now in crisis.  

This documentary will hear from friends, family, colleagues, and critics of each candidate. We will also learn how both men have responded to crises and conflicts throughout their lives. Hopefully, we will come away with valuable insights into how each man would confront the enormous challenges facing whoever is sworn in as president in January 2021.  

My advice to all my students: Try being informed instead of just opinionated.