For most of my life, I did not care about politics at all. I only knew things based on what people would talk about at school or from my parents mentioning it to me. It wasn't until the 2016 election did I really start paying attention to the world and events going on around me. Instead of the mention of politics going in one ear and out the other, I actually retained the information I was being told. One of my good friends was very politically informed and it didn't matter to him who he would discuss it with. As the 2016 election got closer, we would start talking about it and all news surrounding it. He was the one that made me want to know more. Every time I talked to him about politics, I felt so uninformed making me want to know more. I'm very opinionated and I'm not quiet about my views so I wanted to at least have an informed opinion before opening my mouth.

Since then, I couldn't imagine not knowing and caring about as much as I do when it comes to the government. I completely understand why people don't care. Some think that there is too much information to learn and keep up with. Many are scared of what people will think of them when they share their views on certain topics. Obviously, this is a relatively valid excuse but no one should be scared. Your views are what make you who you are. There is nothing wrong with disagreeing with another. We should respect everyone's opinions, no matter what, unless there are facts that make their opinion incorrect. These two reasons should not discourage anyone from caring about politics. It is a civic duty to vote. Who is elected and what laws that might be put in place are up to you. The whole point of a democracy is that the people can choose how they want the government to be run.

You can't make an informed decision if you're not informed. Much of the United States is uninformed. When they vote, they put down random people without knowing their stances. That means that it is mostly the rich politicians who are voting based on their knowledge because they are the informed ones. These people do not represent our society. This society is so rich in diversity yet the data showing the demographics from elections do not display that. Regardless of your background and beliefs, everyone should be more politically informed and not be afraid to talk to anyone about their views.