The 2016 Presidential Election has been an interesting one to say the least. We've seen alleged racism, personal attacks, blatant election fraud basically ignored by the public, and the candidate with perhaps the most supporters fade away to a distant memory. This election is especially interesting, in that what seems to be the majority of people do not support either of the big ticket candidates. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are despised by many people, and this has put many voters in a very awkward position. Many people in this position are searching for a solution. Do they just abstain from voting this time around? Do they somehow scavenge through the few pros, and many cons of each candidate looking for the lesser of two evils? or do they simply 'throw their vote away and vote third party?'

The simple answer to this question is to vote third party. However, for many people this isn't such a simple task. Many people believe that those voting third party are 'white enough to have that privilege', or just throwing their vote away altogether.

Voting third party is not a waste of your vote America!

The notion that voting third party is a waste is killing democracy in our nation today. Those affiliated with the two major parties will constantly drill into our minds that you must vote for a major candidate because the third party candidates have no chance. This stigma is the reason why this country is run by the two parties, and the reason that people such as Debbie Wasserman Schultz can play political puppet master, and manipulate Americans to the point that they will look away from a rigged election, and still vote for Hillary Clinton simply based on the fact that she is not Donald Trump. These parties rely on circular reasoning in order to control us, and prevent honest candidates like Gary Johnson, and Jill Stein from getting into office.

Why can't we elect a third party candidate?

A: I'm gonna vote third party

B: That's a waste of your vote

A: How?

B: Because they'll never get enough votes
A: Why not?

B: Because voting third party is a waste

A: What if everyone who wanted to vote third party did so, wouldn't we have enough votes then?

B: No, that'll never happen

Simply eliminating this fallacy from the political landscape would open up many doors for our nation. If we truly want change and honest politicians, then we must vote our beliefs rather than being condemned to voting the lesser of two evils every four years. Allowing the two major parties to continue down the path that they are currently on, would be to slowly relinquish our freedom. By voting third party, we can take a stand against the corrupted system we have now, and make progress towards a brighter future.

Though we may have to suffer through a Clinton, or Trump presidency regardless, voting third party now will send a message that we are here. If we continue to work to spread the word, and dismiss the notion that voting third party is throwing our vote away, eventually we can put an honest person in office who truly expresses our beliefs, and is focused on shaping America back into a country that is run by the people, for the people.

Consider this: If Osama bin Ladin ran as a Democrat, and Adolf Hitler ran as a Republican, one of them would become president if voting third party was truly a waste.