Guys, I am ten hundred percent over this presidential election. I'm so tired of, well, all of it. I love America. I love the fact that we get to vote and have a say and a voice. I love that we have freedoms. I love that I can worship the way that I want to worship. I love that I got to get a high school diploma for free (you know what I mean, so just stop your taxes thought right there...) I love that I have so many opportunities to go out and do good here because I have the freedom to do just that!
(see, I even celebrated the 4th of July in true American fashion, with sweet sparklers and dressed in Red, White and Blue because I love American that much!)
However, I hate the presidential election. Four years ago, I was that person reading every. little. thing. about the presidential candidates. I wanted to make sure I was making an informed decision about who I would be voting for in my first presidential election. I posted things on Facebook. I talked to all of my friends about the election and tried to sway people to vote for the person I was voting for. I was so excited to go down to that voting booth and put a little check mark (I actually just pushed a button...) next to the person I thought should be the next President of the United States. I watched the news for the rest of the day and long into the night. And then the candidate that I voted for lost. I was devastated.
But eventually I got over it. And honestly, the next morning, unlike I had assumed, my life retuned to normal. (I thought for sure we would all be grim and sad and just down in the dumps for the next four years) Sure, a few new policies were put into place and things happened that made me upset, but mostly, my life stayed pretty much the same.
Fast forward to when this presidential campaign began. At first I was very intrigued by who was saying they were running. I watched semi-closely at the beginning and tried to stay somewhat informed. But then something started happening in my own circle of, well, Facebook friends: people started being horrible to one another because of their choices in who they supported. Down right mean. To the point of name calling and bashing. People that were FRIENDS before this were at each other's throats because of a difference of opinion? What?
I understand that people feel very strongly about who should or should not be the President of the United States. I get it, and I feel that way too. But when has calling names and tearing people down for their opinion EVER changed somebody's mind? Opinion versus opinion in heated anger will never make anything good happen.
I've also wondered this question: if you feel so strongly that one person can make a difference in the nation/world, why aren't you doing anything other than arguing online with the friends of your closest friends? You're a person. You can make a difference. Start where you are. I'm sure your community has some issues it needs resolved. The national government can't be there. But YOU can be. Seek to make a difference in your own family and community. One time Barbara Bush said, "Your success as a family... our success as a nation... depends not on what happens in the White House, but on what happens inside your house."
I'm super over this 18 month debate and can't wait for November where we all see what will go down. Serious stuff. But really, life will go on either way. So instead of being a jerk, just be kind. And then be grateful that you live in a country where you have the opportunity to vote and speak your mind.