Do’s and don’ts of election season
It may not seem like we have very good prospects right now, but a little faith will go a long way.
After the first presidential debate, America has been in a frenzy over what candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton had to say about their intentions of running our government, but mostly what they had to say about each other. If you decide to partake in the craziness of election season keep this list of do’s and don’ts in mind before posting or sharing your point of view with others and you’ll probably sound better than the candidates themselves (which actually isn’t hard to do).
Do have an opinion
Having opinions is good, great actually! Many times our generation is criticized for not caring or giving attention to what are deemed “important matters” by our predecessors, but elections are definitely something we can get behind because the outcome will affect us directly. Something as big as the presidential election causes us to be constantly bombarded with election propaganda from news outlets and social media platforms. There is no escaping the endless circulation of information, so you might as well take a stance. Whether you are a fan of Donald, a Hillary supporter, or somewhere in between, it is good to be able to know where you stand during this pivotal time.
Don’t force your opinions onto others
If you only remember one thing from this list, remember this: be respectful. Your opinions are valuable and should be shared, but not in a forceful way. A simple conversation with friends or classmates about the election should not turn into you aggressively expressing everything absolutely amazing about one candidate and everything dreadfully satanic about the other. Even though you might attend the same school or live in the same city, that doesn’t mean you have the same political views. Politics is a sensitive subject, therefore it is best to be thoughtful and understanding rather than overbearing.
“Hope everyone enjoys the hopefully civil discourse this evening.” -David Yellen
Do educate yourself
Just as you would read up on vital information before an exam, take the time to read material on each candidate before election day. Knowing specific information about the individuals running for office rather than just trying to gage their general vibe will help you decipher who’s ideologies align best with your own. You may think you align solely with one party, but sometimes this isn’t the case. Our beliefs change and evolve over time, making it hard to identify with just one political party. After gathering the facts, you might even be surprised by who you agree with.
The debate is a great place to start.
Don’t forget to vote
Simply stated, there is no better way to practice your civil liberties than to vote. We are extremely privileged, because we have a say in how and by whom our country is run. It is something not to be taken for granted, and is surprisingly pretty fun!
Do regonize the President is only a part of government
The President is not a dictator and whomever gets elected into office will not run the United States into the ground for all eternity.
Enough with the dramatics people. Our government has a solid system of checks and balances to ensure the President doesn’t have too much power. It may not seem like we have very good prospects right now, but a little faith will go a long way.
Now you are prepared to take on election season with a level head, use the super cool link below to register to vote if you haven’t already done so.
https://www.rockthevote.com/register-to-vote/?source=rtv.com-topnavigation