While voting is our civic right here in America, really it is a privilege. We are given the opportunity to voice our opinion and choose a leader for our nation. We may take this for granted as Americans - sometimes we forget that not every government in the world operates as a democracy.
With privilege comes a great responsibility to make an informed decision. That means paying attention to the campaigns and following the election. It means deciding what issues are important to you and thinking about who you want to represent our country.
It really saddens me to hear people say that they aren't going to vote. It saddens me to hear people make fun of the presidential candidates, but never say anything of substance. It saddens me to hear that people are apathetic about the future of our country, and have decided to step back and not be active participants in the democracy. "We're doomed either way! My vote doesn't make a difference!" they cry.
Even if neither candidate is ideal to you, vote. Even if you just have one issue you are really passionate about, vote. Even if you can't get behind Trump or Clinton and are considering a third party or a write-in, vote. Stand up for what you believe in and vote.
I've heard things this year that I cannot believe I'm hearing from the mouth of a potential president. Things that have made my blood boil. Things that have made me long for the days of elections past when Mitt Romney was pissing me off talking about his "binders" and the days when I thought that Sarah Palin was the world's biggest idiot. While I clearly lean left, I've heard things from both sides that have made me shake my head and wonder how we got here. This election has been a complete shit storm of soundbytes and memes and scandal. I think we have forgotten that at the end of it, we'll have a new president that we have to live with for the next four years. This is no joke. Election day is coming. When you hear things that make you feel something - whether that be anger, sadness, pride, hope, inspiration - let that be the drive to get you into that voting booth.
So if you've ignored the campaign and haven't done any research, now's the time. This is really happening - don't just sit and let it happen around you. Trump and Clinton have drastically different opinions on many issues - immigration, abortion, marriage equality, the economy ... educate yourself.
Our system isn't perfect and our candidates aren't either, but if you sit idly and let the process pass you by, you're the problem.
