I'm really excited to vote tomorrow. Freedom to vote without fear is one of the many things that makes the United States unique and I'm a firm believer that every citizen should take advantage of this right. It's our responsibility.
Last February I spent a week in Annapolis at the State House working as a Student Page in the State House of Representatives. Before I went I didn't know what to expect because growing up politics wasn't a big point of discussion in my house but I knew I had a passion for it after the AP U.S. History class I took my junior year. So I went and I had a great time. I was able to meet delegates from all over the State and hear from them directly, and guess what? They aren't these evil, conniving people who don't care. They're intelligent, passionate individuals who want to make the state, their hometowns, better, safer places. Yes they all have different ideas but they try to work together. That was the most important thing I saw during my week in Annapolis. Democrats, Republicans, and Third Party leaders literally lean across the aisle to work together for the people. I truly believe they work with good intent, if I didn't, for me, the entire democratic process would be futile.
I didn't really start following this election until perhaps August. In Italy I got a lot of questions on my opinion on both the candidates and who I was going to vote. At the time I didn't know much about any candidate for any office and absolutely had no clue about who I was going to cast my vote for-I wasn't even a registered voter yet. What also struck me in Italy was how knowledgeable people my age were about both America's politics and their own country's. These people had real conversations about real issues. It made me feel so immature. I kept thinking "Why can't people my age in America talk about stuff like this?". The Italians I knew didn't always agree, some were far on the right of the political spectrum and some were far on the left but they could still talk about things without shunning or disowning each other. They accepted each others opinion without labeling one another. I really liked that. I spent a whole evening in the piazza discussing the differences between separation of church of state in Europe/Italy/France vs America. Two hours we talked it all out and I learned that the churches' rights really are protected here in America.
When I got home I started reading articles and watched every debate. I read bias statuses on facebook and twitter and posted a few of my own. I know who I'm voting for now and I can tell you why. But what I can't tell you is why when I came back I felt an unreasonable sense of pressure to affiliate myself with a certain party, the one I didn't agree with entirely myself. I blame the two party system, I blame my generation for not being informed, I blame myself for not figuring this out earlier, I blame the stereotypes. That's what bugs me the most about this election-the stereotypes.
Stuff like this:
If you're a Christian you have to vote Republican
If you're black you obviously support Obama
If you're the middle class you're screwed
If you're really rich you're a snob and greedy and paying off the Right to keep your money
If you're really poor you're obviously an illegal immigrant and need to go back to where you came from
Democrats hate God and life and want to destroy it (I actually read this somewhere)
Republicans love God and appreciate the sanctity of life and will keep women in their place
These, like any other kind of labels, hurt.
I met a man from Holland over the summer who thinks the GOP's statements against women are comparable to those restrictions currently placed on women who are subjected to prejudices in the Middle East. I agree with him. We're all human, we're all created by God. We all deserve the same respect and rights from each other.
Regardless of your current social class you're an American first. This country was founded by people who risked their homes, families, and fortunes to set up a rudimentary government that led to the development of the free world. I'm not sure why the rich, the poor, and the middle can't come together now and sacrifice what, in comparison to sacrifices of the past, is very little. Rockefeller, Gates, any other great American businessman weren't super-human. They were just human who had help from other humans to become what they are known as today. Don't be afraid to help out your fellow Americans.
Please read this.
If you're a Christian you don't have to vote Republican. You could vote for Mickey Mouse if you really wanted to, but I believe you should vote for the values a man or woman stands for, not the man or woman. That's where the party system hits rock bottom-when we start judging the man. Humans are fallible by nature, but we have a power within us to work for good. Vote for what you believe is good, not which human you think is better because then you'll be disappointed 100% of the time.
I'm a registered Democrat and I plan to vote the same. I'm not afraid to tell you that because I believe everyone should be able to talk about what they believe freely. This is the free world after all. We shouldn't have to play "hush, hush" every time the word politics is thrown out in the open for fear of offending someone. A small part of me wants to offend you with the only intention that it'll make you be more informed.That's how it worked for me. I was offended and hurt by labeling and ignorance so I decided to not label or be ignorant myself. I want to listen to you, I want you to challenge me, I want you to challenge yourself.
Tomorrow please think for yourself, please be informed, and please understand your vote counts. By not voting you only double the power of another person's vote.
Tomorrow, please vote. ROCK THE VOTE!
Ciao!