For years it has been deemed taboo to discuss politics at the dinner table. However, with such an interesting election coming up in less than two months, it seems as if it is the only thing everyone is talking about. Even celebrities are putting their fame to use to get people to talk politics, be aware and vote. Chance the Rapper, for example, has teamed up with the NAACP to get concert goers to register to vote and to "#StayWokeandVote." Younger generations have been often perceived as oblivious to what is coming up within the next two months, so those who are, or trying to become, politically aware should help those who are not so we can all take part in a decision that will impact all Americans.
Though this is my, and many others, first election I get to actually get to partake in, it is no secret that this election is far different from all other presidential elections so far. With the GOP frontrunner being a business man, rather than your average politician, and the Democratic Party boasting the first ever female nominee, it is easy to say that this will be a historic election, no matter what the outcome will be.
As a millennial trying to vote, you often hear criticism towards our generation, saying that we are voting by popularity rather than what we believe in and our conscience. While I do believe there are people, of any age, who are swayed by their peers on who to vote for, combating this belief is something we should all partake in. The best way to do this is to talk about it! Educate yourself and others on different policies and views. What seems like a common trend with this election is that people will automatically shut down the ideas that come from their more unfavorable candidate, however, there is no harm in being open-minded. By no means should one feel obligated to support causes and policies they do not believe in, but one cannot be politically aware if they only know one party's policies. So when you're reading up on your candidate's policies, take a peek at how their opponent views the same topic.
Another way to learn and understand is to go beyond what information is given to you. There is no way that a thirty-second video on Facebook or a 140 character tweet is going to give you a sufficient amount of information. Posts like that more often than not also come with a certain amount of bias. As much as I do enjoy watching those quick Facebook videos because they are right in my face and fast, take the extra step to further read up on the topic. It's pretty obvious that you can learn more about a candidate in something more like a full interview than a highlight video.
We are young, and maybe we do not understand the government like our parents or elders do because they have been through plenty more elections than we have, but that definitely does not mean we have to be oblivious or ignore this election. Getting millennial participation in this election is crucial because this is our country as much as it is anyone else's. Our voices, though they all may be different, should be heard. Less than a century ago, majority of the population were not allowed to vote. Many people have fought for the right to vote, and we should not take it for granted. Do not vote for someone because that who your best friend or your dad said to vote for, gain understanding for yourself and form your own belief on who should run the country next.
So no matter if you "Stand with Her" or want to "Make America Great Again!", make sure you get all the information you need to pick your favorable presidential candidate. Get your friends and family to talk about it and maybe even debate about it. Politics should no longer be a taboo topic because we are picking our future leader. It affects all of us.
