I can distinctly remember the look on my teacher’s face as the wind blew through my hair, my mouth moving almost twice as fast as the gust. Her eyes were nearly all the way back in her head, and her answers to my questions had become short breathed, usually including the phrase “that’s just the way it is.” I was frustrated, but it didn’t stop me, and my questions turned into opinions, opinions turning into rants; I was desperately trying to have a conversation with someone, desperately trying to be heard. Why I disagreed with this, why I agreed with that, why I liked something, and why I hated something else. Finally, after having enough of me, she looked down at me and said “Carly, sweetie, don’t you know sometimes you just have to accept things? Especially as a girl; you’re supposed to be polite and soft-spoken.” My eyes flickered up at her, and my brow furrowed: “Well my parents never taught me that.” I was twelve, and I had been told to keep my mouth shut.

All my life, but especially after that day, I haven’t been good at following that advice. Day after day and year after year I’ve been told to be quiet and keep my opinions to myself, but of course I don’t. I’m a loudmouth, and I fully accept the responsibility that claims. This attitude has gotten me into a lot of trouble over the years, and I’ve learned from my mistakes, making my tone and word choice a bit more eloquent. I seem to have mastered the art of tact, but I still haven’t learned to keep my mouth shut, but that is something I don’t think I, or anyone else, should ever have to learn.

I think now, more than ever, it is important for us as Americans to remember that our voices matter and that even if everyone else wants to shut you up, the only way we can grow and change is by listening to those voices we don’t agree with. Debates and progress are sparked by dissension, and nothing worries me more about this year's presidential election than Donald Trump’s refusal to listen to any voice that does not agree with his and how quickly Hillary Clinton will sway her stances.

To be the president of the United States means to be a leader and a fighter for every single American- not just for Republicans or Democrats and not just for those who agree with your every sentence. Being the president requires an open mind and the humility to admit when you are wrong and to do what makes sense for our country, despite the founding principles of a political party. At the same time, being a leader means standing for what you think is right and holding yourself accountable for what you’ve fought for and believed in. It doesn’t mean saying what you have to in order to get votes, or allowing monetary donations to influence your political platform, and It doesn't mean evading liability because of your status. Being the highest ranking officer in a military of men and women willing to lay down their lives to protect what this country stands for requires responsibility, accountability, maturity, and integrity. Our presidential candidates this year seem to lack all of these traits.

Our candidates have fallen into this pattern of trying to win by default, meaning they focus on tearing their opponent down rather than building themselves up. This game has been brought about partly by the media, and the way elections are portrayed as these massive battles that are supposed to be dramatic and exciting, but it’s also because we as citizens have decided to keep our mouths shut. Political parties have become so black and white that it seems absurd that anyone could favor some democratic policies while also favoring some republican policies. We have been taught to pick a side, applaud what is said by that candidate, and be quiet about the rest. The high degree of radicalism in this year’s election is a direct result of this ideology. No longer do we see candidates who are mild, and no longer do we see candidates who are willing to listen to the opposing party, because everyone applauds what they know to agree with the stereotypes of a platform. But if you were to ask someone in either party why they think their nominated candidate will make a good president, you will hear one of two things. You will hear “well would you rather have Hillary Clinton/Donald Trump?” or you will hear silence. That silence comes because no one really knows what is happening in this election, and that’s why I will never stop speaking my opinion… because I want to fight for what is best for this country, and because I want people to know. It’s been a loud, glamorous, dramatic process thus far, but the biggest issue with the race that lies before us is an overwhelming sound of silence from the people.