This year, there are many very controversial things that will appear on the ballot in November. I’d like to take this opportunity to tell you all why I’m voting and what I’ll be voting for.
The first topic, which I feel most strongly about, is the marriage amendment. I will be voting no. I could write a novel about why I’m against banning gay marriage, but I’ll stick to the basics here so as not to offend.
Don’t like gay marriage? Don’t get gay married. It’s as simple as that.
Forty years ago, there were people fighting against a different minority: African Americans, and their right to live as white people do. Forty years from now, what will people say when they look back?
The second topic is voter ID. I will also be voting no on this, and any taxpayer who doesn’t want more money taken out of their hard-earned paychecks than already is should follow suit. This amendment is so ridiculous I can’t even believe it made it this far.
It’s going to cost every county in Minnesota hundreds of thousands of dollars, and for what? To make a person show photo identification before they are allowed to vote.
Not only will this lower voter turnout by making the voting process more costly and difficult, but it affects everyone, because everyone who pays taxes will be shelling out for years to come.
As for who I think should run our country, I honestly don’t know if any one person could do a good job. But I know who I’m not voting for: Mitt Romney. I’m not a Republican, I don’t agree with his views, and I wouldn’t feel comfortable living in a country that’s run by a man like him.
Politics aren’t really my cup of tea; in fact, I try and stay as far away from them as possible. However, the issues listed above are ones I feel very strongly about. After all, we’re all entitled to our opinion.
I know a lot of people don’t agree with mine, especially in a conservative town, but sometimes opening your mind and putting yourself in someone else’s shoes is exactly what needs to be done.
I know I’m young and I’ve got a lot of the world left to see. But it amazes me sometimes at how immature some adults can be, even those much older than myself.
Each day that goes by is another day of learning. I’m just getting out of the gate, and yet I’m mature enough to put my pride aside and look at things through another person’s eyes when it needs to be done.
Why can’t the people who I’m supposed to look up to and learn from do the same? I guess there are just some things in this world I’ll never understand, no matter how many years of experience I have under my belt.
I encourage you to fight for what you believe in, but don’t be ignorant, either. It’s O.K. to be wrong, and it’s O.K. to admit when you are.
Mistakes are natural; they’re a way to learn. Open your mind, open your eyes, and look at the world around you.
Is it the kind of world you want to be living in? You have the ability to change it, to make it better.
But you’ve got to make yourself better, too. Is the person you see staring back at you in the mirror every day someone you’re proud of?
You have the ability to change yourself, as well. Make yourself into the person you’ve always wanted to be, fight for the things you feel strongly about, and most importantly, be kind to those around you while you do.
