As the ballots roll in and the presidential election nears, many University students are voting for the first time in one of the most unprecedented elections to date. However, being the staunch Democrat that I am, it’s been very hard to listen to the reasoning people use when deciding to give their vote to either Barack Obama or John McCain. It’s a very human trait to be opinionated; I’ve been struggling not about how opinionated people can be, but how they come to make assumptions that form their opinions.
The two-party system is great in theory and it seems to have worked out for us thus far. Unfortunately, fundamental problems have arisen during this election regarding our tried and true system. Liberalism, for example, is playing a huge role in this election. Stereotypes abound that if you tend to think liberally then you’re undoubtedly a Democrat, or if you’re firmly rooted in Christian beliefs you’ve got be conservative. Although many of these stereotypes do often ring true, they are not set in stone. I’d like to think that our community, being as politically active as it is, would be educated on current issues. However, I still run into many people who are not educated, and have no desire to educate themselves.
I was inspired to write on this issue by a quote recently published on the front page of the Register-Guard. A college-aged woman said, “It would be an awesome change for America to vote in a black president.” As a citizen voting for Obama, I’m glad other people are voting for him as well. However, this woman’s reasoning is completely ridiculous and uneducated. What is truly sad is that I hear things like this all the time from both sides of the political aisle.
I have many friends who hold many different viewpoints. I love discussing politics with them, but every once in a while I run into people who are voting based on a preconceived party stance, rather than the issues affecting the election. It’s just another form of stereotyping, but this is a time where, more than ever, we need people to vote with real reasoning and conviction. America is in a financial crisis as bad or possibly worse than the Great Depression of the ’30s and is also stuck in a war that seems to never end. These are the sort of issues that people should consider when filling out the ballot. Race or sex should never factor into a decision as important as electing the next president of the United States.
Right now, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, you need to exercise your right to vote and you need to keep in mind that the decision you’re making is very important. Check out Web sites, listen to friends, choose an issue that is important to you and vote on that. In our hands is the ability to change the future and to make history. Everyone should have an opinion on that.
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