Two years ago our country voted in its last presidential election, and honestly, before that election, I never really cared about elections or voting. I guess that isn’t totally true. I voted in the previous presidential election so I could get extra credit in a political communication class while I was in college. Other than that, I never voted, or cared about our country’s politics, before 2016.

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So what changed my mindset?

 

I watched the 2016 race.

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I watched it divide us. I watched how divisive and offensive it was on both sides. It made me sick. Since then, it has made me sick to see how our country has turned to blaming the media and hating others simply because they’re on the other side.

 

I chose to vote in this election because I think it is our chance to help unite this country. Our nation, I believe, is at a critical point. A point where we can keep letting political lines and differences divide us OR we can put aside differences, choose to respect each other, and move toward making this country the best it can be. No matter the party leadership, is so much more than policy. Leadership, above all other things, is about respect. It is about people respecting the leader. It is about the leader respecting the people.

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Respect is something I think we have lost. We would rather tear down someone’s view we disagree with than talk with that person about our disagreement. We let what we believe about politics, religion, or the economy draw lines and divide us. Respect is something I think we need to get back and that starts with our leadership. This is why I voted.