In today's hyper-political society it can be hard to sit by and let things go. If you are anything like me and take pleasure in looking at memes and laughing at things that aren't funny on Twitter you are bound to come across the highest intellectuals in our country discussing politics.
Yeah, me too. It is hard to not get bogged down in all the nonsense. NEWS FLASH!! Everything you see on Twitter or Facebook isn't accurate. While there may be some truth it is over saturated with bias and opinion. Don't get me wrong, I love opinions. I am known to go on my political rants every now and then (OK, fine — every day). But it is hard to decipher what you actually believe and what you feel like you should believe in today's society.
Are you a Republican or Democrat? That is the one question I hear far too often. Well, look, my friends, it isn't that simple. The two parties that control (ruining) this country have created a divide that is not solving problems but furthering the divide in this country.
When it comes to everyone's favorite election, y'all know the one I am talking about? The one with Pedro and Summer in "Napoleon Dynamite" where the dark horse Pedro defeated the Summer Wheatley in an election that would change the course of human history.
JK, Trump and Hillary.
When it came to this election I, and hopefully others, noticed that no one actually wanted either of them to win. We had the choice between two candidates to run our country that most people didn't even want. That is a problem to me. In this country, you are Liberal or Conservative and if you fall in the middle people think you are just indecisive and don't understand.
Well, hello, world, I am here to tell you that you aren't. You are probably more in tune to what is going on that most. People that don't understand both sides are the people that you hear yelling in Starbucks about free healthcare. Or the dude at the frat party chanting "build that wall" even though he probably isn't registered to vote.
To be stuck in the middle is a rough road. You feel yourself leaning towards one side but you understand points of the other. You want to call yourself a "conservative" but you think gun laws are necessary. You tell people you are a Democrat but when you tell them you are pro-life they condemn you.
Why is it like this? Why, to claim these titles, do we have to support everything they stand for?
I don't have the answers to these questions yet. I am still trying to figure them out. But what I have learned is that people vote for officials and senators and representatives that they believe will support what is important to them. People will protest and talk about what is important to them. Don't diminish a person for what they choose to believe. Don't blame your friend or the girl writing political rants on Facebook.
Figure out what you stand for and stand for it.
It is OK to be in the middle and to still be figuring it out.
It is OK to educate yourself more and change your mind.
We change our minds every day! I've had four majors alright and I finally found one that I think works (I won't have a job but maybe I will marry rich). To grow is to learn. Never stop learning. Never stop believing in yourself and what you think is right, but understand others.
Use this GIF of Snoop Dogg for a little inspiration. There are better times ahead.
