My vote counts.
At least that’s what everyone has been telling me. As a newly registered voter who recently cast their first presidential election ballot, I am discouraged. The newscasters say the votes were counted, but more and more ballots are being found in dumpsters. More and more software glitches have been reported in various states (click here to learn more).
That’s right, these ballots are not being handled decently, much less respectfully. Over the course of more than two hundred forty years, our great nation has elected its leader. Now, regardless of skin color, demographic, gender, religion, political affiliation and more, every legal American who is eighteen years old or older has a right to make their voice heard.
Yet the current ballot counting, fraud, and overwhelming voting problems this country faces prove otherwise. President Trump has had no tangible proof of this fraud yet (click here for a timely article from the Washington Post on this issue), but sources state that red states turned blue during this election (click here for a reputable news article from USA Today regarding this controversy).
This is a political tragedy, whether the elected candidate is liked or not. While some cheer for our newly elected president, others shake their heads at the blatant evidence for voter fraud, which comes from both parties. Between the injustice for poll watchers and the amount of time it has taken to call states, Americans are bewildered at the presidential race. Time can be an enemy or a friend, since vote counting shouldn’t be rushed even when it can be difficult to exhibit patience.
Age takes a certain role in the election as well. For me, a young adult born into Generation Z, this issue is more than troubling. If my generation is the future, the soon-to-be adults making decisions in the “real world,” what does this election teach us? It proves, once and for all, how corrupt our society truly is.
Now, I’m not aiming to bang a book over the heads of everyone I disagree with. At this point, I wonder if the race is between Republicans and Democrats. In fact, this election is being decided by either love or hate. The American dream yearns for the former, but our modern nation has been executing the latter. Whether it’s hate for President Trump, love for Joe Biden, or any other sentimental view, this nation is clearly divided.
The importance of current politics are more imperative now than ever. I beg my generation, and those who will follow us in the future, to pay attention with your ears and eyes. Take facts into account rather than being blinded by your own opinions. There are many legitimate, trustworthy news/media sources available to citizens, hyperlinked below.
Right
Fox News, CBN, The Federalist, The American Spectator
Left
The Huffington Post, CNN, NPR, The New York Times
Neutral
USA Today, The Economist, PBS, The Wall Street Journal
Support who you desire to support, and vote wisely. It is crucial to know who you are defending.
This applies to both sides of the spectrum, and every affiliation in-between. I will not reveal who I voted for, only that I hope my voice was heard accurately. I hope that the next four years rest in the hands of the people and not in the hand of deception. This is our country, and we ought to do the best for it. We ought to take pride in the Oval Office itself.
Instead, we sit in front of the television with apprehension and wonder if the numbers are true. We wish with all our might that our favored candidate wins the race. Or, if we are fueled by our negative emotions, we wish a particular candidate will lose. The fate of our nation is bleak, but it is ours to determine. Now that I am old enough to have a say, I realize just how detrimental this controversy is.
My vote counts.
