In case you haven't noticed, the primary elections have been going on. Here's what you missed summed up in two pictures:
Long story short—the GOP's getting literally Trumped, and the democrats are seeing a Bern out. So let's talk about this Bern out.
To break it down for you even more, Sanders has won New Hampshire, Colorado, Oklahoma, Minnesota and of course his home state of Vermont. On the other hand, Clinton won the remaining 10 states, most of which she swept on Super Tuesday.
On college campuses, you can see stickers everywhere that say "Bernie 2016," and you're bound to see car after car with "Feel The Bern" bumper stickers. So what's the deal with the 431 delegates compared to Clinton's whopping 1,058?
Of course, Bernie appeals to our generation—the support for free college, the disdain for the 1 percent, the support for LBGT equality. You only need to visit his website to see all the appeal.
But here's the deal—Millennials voice their opinions on social media, and that's not where the voting occurs. Sure, memes like this can get posted:
But what difference does it make if the voice of the Millennials doesn't reach the ballots? No matter how much of a bad rap Millennials get—whether it's for the reason that we're considered the laziest generation or because we care about things that really don't matter (Damn, Daniel; What color is this dress?!?; Okay ladies, now let's get in formation)—Bernie had it right when he included our generation. The resources we have to make our voice heard are unparalleled to that of any of our preceding generations.
However, the Senator's campaign has been utterly glorified by social media through Millennials. Let's not forget that those in high school are still considered to be Millennials. They may be tweeting about him, but they can't vote for him. Couple that with the fact that not nearly enough Millennials vote or aren't even registered to vote, and you have a very misled perception of success.
But what can we learn from this? It's simple—make use of your rights. Whether you're a Bernie supporter, a Hillary supporter or you side with someone from the Grand Ol' Party, you voicing your concerns in the sphere of social media is not the end of your onus as a citizen.
Onus, responsibility, duty. That's what voting is now—because the world is in a precarious situation, and our futures are dependent on our national leadership. Moreover, it's not a matter of blindly marking a name on a ballot. It's a matter of being informed. Social media is a good source to get a gist of information, but people tend to confuse their own opinions with facts.
The candidates have their own websites, the GOP candidates just had their 3947049th debate, the candidates are interviewed, their rallies are broadcast, Tune in. Consume critically.
Don't vote for someone just because they're going to build a wall. Don't vote for someone because they're promising you free college tuition. Don't vote for someone just because they're a woman. This year's elections are as multifaceted as the national and global issues that Fox's moderators fail to address correctly.
Make the informed decision you need to, otherwise you'll see the candidate you want Bern out.
