As you may have heard, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are charging forward with a full head of steam from the New Hampshire primaries on Wednesday, and the former “establishment” candidates (i.e. Hillary Clinton and any of the Republican frontrunners excluding Trump) are floundering in a campaign season that has proven to be vitriolic and prone to fiery outbursts.
Our generation has just undergone its own Vietnam and Watergate in the form of Afghanistan and the NSA scandal.
We have never known a world in which we were supposed to say something when we saw something, where we didn’t have a moment of silence on 9/11, where we didn’t have to wait outside security for our loved ones to get off their planes, where we didn’t live in fear of a radical or a lunatic turning our normal days into headlines, tears, and vigils.
Naturally, we are fed up with the state of political discourse in America in this era of fear.
As the youth, the vitality, and the future of this society, we have an obligation to have our say in the election process and, if not end this era of fear, at least mitigate its lasting effects.
It behooves us to vote in upcoming elections, either so that we prevent dangerous mavericks from entering office, or ineffective busybodies, or divisive candidates who cannot lead others to effect meaningful change.
So this is my plea to you, seniors and juniors who will turn 18 by Nov. 8:
1.) Be informed on all the issues that are up for decision, both in next month’s primaries and in the general election. Do your research; your English teachers didn’t teach you to research for nothing.
2.) Listen to all viewpoints on these subjects; don’t fall into the trap of only listening to people who reinforce your opinion. Consider the ramifications of the outcomes you want to see: How will it affect me? How will it affect my tax bill? How will it affect those already involved in the issue? Will it be a net good for society?
3.) Register to vote. It is easier to register to vote than it is to fill out an AGR card. You can get a registration card from your local public library. Just fill it out, sign it, and drop it in the mail.
4.) Lastly, get off your phone, find a polling location (hint: you’re already in one) and cast your ballot.
The political atmosphere in the last year has soured towards divisiveness, anger, and a desire for change. As voters, as responsible citizens, we must be that change.