WHYCARINGMATTERS
Ihadaconversationwithsomeoneonce.Actually,IcanconfidentlysaythatI’vehadthis conversationwithmultiplepeople.It’susuallyaboutpolitics,andtheircaseusuallygoesthe sameroute.Itisalwaystheanswerthatexplainsthatpoliticsandgovernmentdoesn’tnecessarily affectthem,andtheirvoice‘doesn’tmatter’,sowhyshouldtheyevenstressaboutvoting.
MoreandmoreofthisthoughtprocessisbeingspreadthroughoutnotonlytheU.S.,but alsotheworld.Seeminglyso,Ifeelasthoughpeopleforgetwhofoughtfornotonlythe freedomswehave,butalsofortherightwehaveaspeopletohaveourvoicesbeheardloudand proud.AndspecificallyintheU.S.aswell,theamountofpeoplewhohavelaidtheirlivesjustto evenhavethethoughtofvoting.
Aswell,thousandsofpeople'slives do relyonvoting.Theamountoflawsthatcan changejustbecauseofachangeinadministrationisinsane.Andyes,yourlifemaynotbe affectedbyyourlackofexercisingyourright,butthereareplentyofotherpeoplewhoareworth protecting.
Ihavetheprivilegeofbeingabletosaythatvotingdoesnotaffectmelikeitdoesothers. Iamaseventeenyearoldgirlwholivesinthesuburbs,whocomesfromafamilywhoispretty welloff.Notonlythat,IamalsoaChristian,whohasgonetoareligiousprivateschoolsince PRE-K.TomakeastatementsayingthatIamprivilegedisanunderstatement.Iamapartofa percentagethatsomemayneverbeabletobein.
Though,Igrewupwithamomwhonotonlyfoughtforthiscountryandlovesitdearly, butalsowhohappenedtogrowupwithnothing.Sheknowswhatitisliketohavetowonder whereyournextmealiscomingfrom.
Shehasbeenthepersonthathasalwaysdrilledintomyheadtobecuriousandtoalways havecompassion.Havingcompassionforpeopleinthesensethatyouputyourselfintheirshoes, andthinkaboutwhatitwouldbeliketoexperiencelifebeingthem.
Thethoughtofhavingmyfoodstampsstrippedawayfrommebecauseofagovernment shutdownisnauseating. Thethoughtofhavingfamilywhohavetriedtobeherelegallystripped awayfrommyarmsisaheartbreakingthought.ThethoughtofbeingjudgedbecauseIam JewishorMuslimissomethingIwillneverhavetothinkaboutbecauseIamawhiteChristian girlwhoiswelltakencareof.
Yes,wehaveadecisionastowhetherwevote.Itisabeautifulonewearegivenbecause ofpeoplewholaidtheirlivesforthat.So,Iaskthequestion:becauseweareprivileged, shouldn’tweusethattoouradvantageandexerciseitforthosewhocan’t?
Thisisn’tapushforpeopletogotolengthslikeparticipatinginourmilitary.Itis somethingIknowmanypeoplearewillingtodo,includingsomethingImyselfplantodointhe future.But,Iwillalwaysbeapersonwhopushesforpeopletobegratefulforthefreedomsthey areandweregranted.Because,therewasatimewhenIwouldn’thaveeverbeenabletothink aboutusingmyvoice,andIoweittomyself,andmostimportantly,tothosewhocaredenough tofight.