Recently I spent three weeks in a European country, and while most of the time I tried my best to not stick out, my accent often betrayed me. No matter where I went and who I was around I faced the same questions: "What do you think about Donald Trump?" "Why are there so many shootings in America?" "That stuff isn't happening here, what is up with your gun laws?"
And at first this all struck me as odd; sometimes you get so used to living in your own bubble that you don't realize that the rest of the world is watching what is going on with where you live, just like you are. Once I got over the strangeness of the whole situation, I realized how significant our election is going to be and how invested other countries are in our rigorous turmoil. While I don't think the good ol' USA is the center of everything, it is important to realize that the rest of the world is watching what we are doing, and we should use that fact to fuel how we act.
At the end of the day, you're allowed to have your own opinion, but I challenge you to question your own opinion. Look at what other countries are doing and see how it has worked out for them. Question how it could work in the states. Honestly, question everything. I know sometimes it is hard to see other people's view points, but sometimes it is really important to understand the other side.
It is easy to ignore the importance of your opinion. It is even easier to ignore the importance of your vote. But you shouldn't ignore how important your freedom of speech is. Especially when other countries are watching what we are doing and are so interested in our next move. This just proves that everyone's voice matters because believe me when I say, almost everyone I came into contact with at least asked about Trump.
So the next time you shrug and say your opinion doesn't matter, please remember it absolutely does. The world is watching what America does next. The world is waiting to see if we make the right presidential decision (if there is one) and they are waiting to see how we respond to the gun issue.
I don't know what road the USA is on, and I can't tell you how to vote or what political opinion you should have. However, whatever side you take, make sure you do your research. Make sure you push yourself and challenge your views, and above all, make your voice heard. Take the knowledge you receive from your research (real research, not Facebook articles) and apply it to your opinions. Statistics are sexy.
Just make sure you care about your opinion as much as the rest of the world cares about what happens.
