With the upcoming U.S. presidential election drawing near at just over four months away, voters are beginning to settle into their choices for president. After an emotional and impactful run for Democratic nominee, it appears Bernie Sanders has publicly accepted his defeat. Reports of Sanders saying, “It doesn’t appear that I’m going to be the nominee” in an interview with C-Span deliver a final blow to the “Feel the Bern” movement. With nowhere to turn other than Hillary Clinton for a Democratic president, those who lean to the left, but aren’t exactly with Clinton, are left perplexed.
I remember feeling so hopeful for our country in October of last year, picking through presidential candidates to learn about in my Understanding Media and Technology class. The Democratic mix looked somewhat promising, and Donald Trump still felt like a bad joke that would blow over in due time. Much to my dismay, I am currently faced with two candidates I cannot bring myself to support in even the subtlest of senses. I have waited 19 years for my chance to vote and make my voice heard, only to turn my nose up at the opportunity in the name of dignity. Cultural phenomenon Donald Trump’s right-wing view on guns is too lenient for my taste, only suggesting to ban “some” assault weapons, especially in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting. I will be moving to Orlando in August for an internship and cannot bear the thought of my temporary home experiencing so much trauma with virtually zero political movements to prevent similar incidences in the future.
As for Hillary Clinton, I am pleased with her “new college compact” aiming to increase college affordability, but refute her opinion that the U.S. should be “shaping world events” and extending its ever-intrusive hand to other nations’ business. Conjointly, her record as the “nation’s top diplomat” seems countered by her poor negation skills, showcased by her failure to patch the relationship between the U.S. and Russia, yet cites healthy relations with Russia as one of her main goals during the presidency. My relinquishment of my right to vote this year is not an indication of any indifference to politics, for that could not be further from the truth. I find myself immersed in the New York Times mobile app almost daily reading about public feuds concerning Trump and Clinton and cannot help but to shake my head.
Our society is fortunate enough to have a government comprised of officials we elect by public vote, where our grievances may be vocalized and taken seriously. Every vote counts, but do not count on my vote. As citizens of a World Power country we must be cautious when entrusting a leader to carry us forward in this progressive age… And I do not trust the presidential candidates with my vote. To formally consent to something that one does not fully believe in is selling oneself short in regards to both selves-worth and political expression. One does not have to settle for choosing someone they feel “okay” with in order to have their fair share of political influence, for no vote is equal as powerful. The exemption, though passive, is a form of protest. Let my absence in the voting booth this November be telling of my stubborn millennial attitude and intention on returning in four years with newfound hope for a president I can stand with.
