To start, I need to qualify this statement by saying one thing: readers may not agree with me, but the beauty of our political system is that we are allowed to disagree.

Let us wind the clocks back to almost one year ago today. I was in Washington D.C. on a trip with my pre-law fraternity. Following a tour of the Supreme Court and meeting Justice Clarence Thomas, I had heard that Hillary Clinton had announced her candidacy for president of the United States. I remember saying to myself, “Finally, a candidate for the Democrats that can win. I will be voting for her without a doubt.” Immediately, I took fire from many people, family and friends for mindlessly supporting a candidate. I tried to defend myself, but at the end of the day, I became frustrated. Mindless? Foolish? After considering all angles, I realized that I had committed what has become a cardinal sin in my personal political handbook: I had put my support behind a candidate without researching them, without looking at all candidates. In all honesty, I had dedicated myself to vote on party lines.

Around the same time, I had heard about this Bernie Sanders, and at the same time, I had written him off as some crazy old socialist. He could never get any support I said to myself. However, I had already taken the heat, so I decided to at least research both of the candidates, Sanders and Clinton. The more I looked at it, the more I realized how foolish I had been. How could I have been so blind to support based simply on party lines, or on chances of winning?

Now fast forward to the present day. Let us be honest -- unless the next few Democratic primaries go his way, there is little chance that Bernie Sanders will be our next commander-in-chief. Yet, at the end of this election season, regardless of who is in the Oval Office, I will proudly say thank you Bernie Sanders, and be proud to say that I supported him in his bid. Sanders’ campaign, in my opinion, has inspired many young Americans who have simply had no interest in the political system, or lost faith in it altogether. His rejection of corporate money in the funding of his campaign has made him much more likable to young people such as myself, many of whom are tired of seeing big money running politics.

Beyond that, Sanders has brought to the fore and given legitimacy to many issues that, in times not so far behind us, would have been brushed to the side due to the fact that they are “un-American” or “too radical.” Sanders has built a campaign around planning for the future, and securing the basic needs of citizens through government programs. While his stance on tuition-free public schools has come under fire, possibly for good reason, there are few who would deny that the overwhelming debt placed upon students makes it very difficult for many to attend college.

Furthermore, Sanders' advocacy for campaign finance reform and his outspoken opposition to the Citizens United Supreme Court decision have inspired hope for many who believe that the political process is simply a game for the rich. The numbers support this fact, as numerous polls have shown that the combination of the Sanders and Trump campaigns have brought about a rise in voter turnout. Also, his unwavering stance on his beliefs over his many years of public service, combined with the statements by many politicians that Sanders has been willing to reach across the aisle in his political career, show that he is not a candidate who is willing to do anything to win. On the contrary, it shows us that Sanders is a man who stands by his principles constantly, but is willing to work with those of opposing viewpoints to get things done.

The point here, in the end, is two-fold. As American citizens, we cannot simply allow ourselves to follow politicians blindly without any research into their actual intentions and policy standpoints. Also, the fact that Sanders has been able to garner so much support with his ideas and his rejection of big money shows us that there is still hope for our political system. At the end of the day, regardless of whether he wins or loses, I will be proud to thank Bernie Sanders for being a candidate that, for the first time in a long time, I can honestly and truthfully believe in.