Voting

We are officially one year away from our national election, featuring the race for the 45 presidency.

As the presidential election approaches, let us remember these things:

-Who we are and how we treat people are far more important than our stances on issues and the candidates for whom we vote. Despite differences of opinion, we are all human and should treat our brothers and sisters as such.

-We live in a nation governed by a three-branch government with a defined system of check and balances. To say “the president cut funding for _____” or “the president implemented ______ policy” shows a lack of understanding about how the US works. Please go back to high school and remind yourself not to blame one person when things don’t go quite as you might have hoped. 

-A single-issue voter is one of the worst things to be. This elected official will have limited time to dedicate to your particular cause. Vote for this individual who best embodies the spirit that you believe should be leading our nation’s policies. Furthermore...

-If you are particularly interested in a particular issue, find other ways to make an impact: volunteer your time, get to know those impacted by the issue, make a monetary donation, write letters to local, state, and national policy-makers, or hold discussions. Believe it or not, social media and wearing a particular color are not the only means of raising awareness

-If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the results. If you do vote, please find better ways to implement your energy and opinions other than complaining and Facebook posts when the results are announced. Feel free to get creative.

-And I'll say it one more time in case you missed it: Who we are and how we treat people are far more important than our stances on issues and the candidates for whom we vote.