2026 college essay contest: 10th place — Kevin Xiong

The compassion we feel

FFRF awarded Kevin $300.

By Kevin Xiong

I know what compassion is. Compassion asks somebody to do something good for which they do not stand to gain from it. Donald Trump has stated that “We will be . . . compassionate to all, but our greatest compassion must be for our American citizens,” but I do not feel the compassion he refers to.

Trump’s statement stating “You just can’t have a great country if you don’t have religion” is true for legitimizing his branding, power and the influence of religion in the United States. However, his vision for a “great country” is morally wrong as it breaks the social contract between political leaders and individuals. Elected officials are expected to display compassion in office by serving the good of their constituents, within the bounds of the Constitution. However, Trump’s actions have empirically revealed a propensity toward a self-serving vision, aided by religiosity. Trump benefits from two sets of voters — those who are white Protestants and voters without a four-year college degree. Public schools are a key factor in informing both the moral and civic knowledge of the electorate.

I grew up in Texas, where I had to stand up to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and pledge to the Texas State Flag at the beginning of each school day. The pledges both include a mention of God, something that is increasingly prevalent in the state. Texas Senate Bill 10, which requires public schools to display the Ten Commandments, and the adoption of Texas Bluebonnet Learning curriculum, a curriculum that drew concern for favoring Christianity over other faith traditions.

How can the separation of church and state be maintained if exposure to religious education is associated with higher adult religiosity? Trump stands to benefit from an ingroup of people who are not affected by the deterioration of the separation of church and state. Such an ingroup is more likely to agree with Trump’s vision of a “great country” as it strengthens an idea of a religious America.

Americans should not allow the social contract between governments and citizens to deteriorate. If Trump’s rhetoric and policy actions only benefit people who support him, it challenges the idea of a great country as it excludes people from the social contract. France exists as a successful democracy, with both a social contract and the separation of church and state. It has a high quality of life, access to health care and education, and lower rates of religious practice than the United States. If religion were a key to having a “great country,” why do other secular democracies not have an official state religion?

To me, Trump’s comments about Christianity in the United States feel like a direct attack on my identity — an atheist, a person of color, a second-generation immigrant . . . an outgroup. The promise of the American dream has been about freedom and opportunity to pursue a better life, but Trump seeks to pull the rug out from under people who are trying to achieve such a dream.

A self-serving government leader does not uphold the ideals of a “great country.” Rather than showing compassion, giving opportunities, and supporting people who were not the beneficiaries of privilege, he attacks people who are different from him. Trump’s claims of anti-Christian bias, anti-DEI and anti-immigrant speech shift the onus of compassion to outgroups, creating adversity that people strive to overcome.

Compassion presumes a minimum standard of a government that does not ascribe a religion to itself or its citizens. Compassion expects that religion does not benefit the people in power. I know what compassion is, but I do not feel it.

Kevin, 21, attends Baylor University with plan to major in music education.

“I started my academic career at the University of Texas at Austin, and the shift to Baylor University has increased the importance of secular advocacy,” he writes. “I am interested in topics such as public policy, anthropology, gender studies and Asian American studies. I enjoy listening to memoirs on audiobook, board games and baking.”