I hear it all the time; "If Donald Trump wins, I'll leave the country." "If Hillary Clinton is the next president, I'm moving to Canada." Republicans blame Democrats for being socialists and running this country into the ground and Democrats blame Republicans for being greedy, racist, control freaks. In reality, they are both to blame. We need to stop hating each other and look at the real problem facing us.

To say that you will leave your country because of one person who may lead it for four years, speaks volumes about our society. Threatening to leave if the candidate of your choice doesn't win isn't going to change America for the better, much less get any decent point across. How can someone claim to love their country, yet flee for something so petty. After all, we get to choose our leaders. For that alone, we should be immensely grateful. Yet some are willing to permanently give up basic democracy in protest. Think of the millions of brave souls who have lost their lives so we can live happily in the Land of the Free. How can anyone throw away all that they fought for?

Recently, I saw an article about how to legally become a Canadian citizen if Donald Trump wins the election. Some people are actually looking into this! Will most of these people actually leave? No. But perhaps these people should spend less time researching places to move, and more time advocating for the change they want to see. We should be thankful for the country we live in. People all over the world would die (literally) to trade places with us. How would we like Syria, Iraq, or Mexico? Probably not as much as if Trump led America.

Though I am a young conservative, I am an American first. I will not just leave because my political views are not in power. I was raised to fight for what I want and accept the final outcome knowing I did my best. So personally, if Trump wins in November, I'll still call Wisconsin my home. If Clinton wins, I won't be changing my mailing address to Toronto, Canada. I will learn from it and work harder next time. If you leave this country because the leader you support loses, then you are not in love with this country and what it stands for in the first place. If we truly want better leaders for a better tomorrow, we need to step up. If you don't like it; change it. If you think you have all the answers; make your voice heard. Don't simply leave. If you would rather live in a country without free speech, with persecution for beliefs, without bountiful opportunity, or without the American Dream; then go ahead. I will be right here, fighting for what I believe to making a change in 2020.