Election Day has come and gone. After roughly six billion dollars spent campaigning and approximately 126 million votes, America made its decision: Barack Obama will remain president for the next four years.
For some, the news brought joy, but others were reduced to despair at the result of the election. As always, both sides didn’t hesitate to voice their opinions to others. The economy will be ruined. America is about to fall off the fiscal cliff. Socialism will prevail. On the opposite end of the spectrum: Gay marriage! Women’s rights! Welfare!
Extreme opinions such as these are often misinformed and fail to convey the big picture. Unfortunately, many political opinions are formed around misconceptions and rumors.
Voters are often too easily influenced by biased sources, such as social media (like Twitter and Facebook) or their neighbors’ opinions. As almost every SLHS student will be eligible to vote in the next election, it is of utmost importance for us to take politics into our own hands.
No, this does not mean that you must decide by tomorrow if you are a Republican or a Democrat. You don’t even have to decide by next week. You can still be an informed voter without declaring a party affiliation.
Just remember: today’s high school students are tomorrow’s decision makers. According to a recent article in the Huffington Post, 22% of all eligible voters are 18-29 year olds. In close elections such as this, the youth vote is crucial in determining the winner.
As such, take the time to educate yourself. Forget everything you have ever heard about this party or that party, this candidate or that candidate. Well-informed parents can be a good source of guidance, but keep in mind that your political decisions are yours and yours alone.
Too many people make the same mistakes when it comes to politics: they refer to one news outlet for information, or they make their decision solely based on what others are saying around them. A well-informed voter takes the time to research (even if it’s just for ten minutes) each candidate’s views, and does so by searching for reliable and unbiased information.
This way, when the next election rolls around, you won’t be the silly kid who walks around school spewing political nonsense because it’s supposedly what his parents believe. You’ll be the mature adult who knows his own mind, and feels confident voting for the best candidate, not just the candidate that everybody else is telling you to vote for.
One last thing: after you’ve done some research, watched the debates, and finally picked your man (or woman), do not feel the need to tell everyone. Keep in mind that many voters remain undecided for long periods of time, and that their ideals and values don’t necessarily coincide with yours.
There is no such thing as a correct opinion; there is truth only in facts. One of the greatest aspects about this country is the freedom to choose. By all means, choose wisely, but allow others the same freedom.