Elections bring out the best in people – citizens tune in to televised debates, do research on candidates and take to social media to voice their opinions.
And rightfully so. This is an exciting time for America – we’re picking the leader of our country, and no matter how you decide to vote this year, it’s definitely an election of firsts. We will either have the first woman president or a celebrity-businessman-turned politician sitting in the Oval Office.
But this election is also bringing out the worst in people.
Ever since Monday night’s debate, there has been a lot of talk about how neither candidate is a good fit to lead the U.S.
Donald Trump is criticized as being loud-mouthed and rude, while Hillary Clinton is called robotic and emotionless.
Needless to say, this presidential campaign has been anything but typical, and has turned off first-time voters. The dramatics of candidates has filled entertainment purposes, but has done little to actually inform undecided voters.
When people don’t like their choices of candidates, they shut down, complain and threaten to end their participation.
However, not voting is not a solution. As cliché as it sounds, the future depends on us as voters.
You have a Constitutional right to elect the next leader of our country, just as you have a Constitutional right to abstain from voting. But that’s a ridiculous and petty decision, even for this ridiculous political race.
At The Scout, we exercise our Constitutional rights every time we publish an issue. And everybody has that chance this November, so it isn’t something we can just throw away.
Get out there and vote. Register for an absentee ballot if you’re not from Illinois. Study up on the candidates, and put a big, red, white and blue star over the Nov. 8 block on your calendars.
Our country, by our families and friends and by generations to come, needs us. Our vote is our legacy.
