High School Student’s View on the 2020 Presidential Election

High School Student’s View on the 2020 Presidential Election

In the United States, we have freedom of speech guaranteed by our constitution, which allows us to express ourselves freely without the fear of retaliation. How are we able to exercise this right if we continuously get ridiculed for expressing our personal beliefs?  

 

With the upcoming presidential election just around the corner, an outburst of judgment has taken over. People have forgotten we have rights that allow us to believe what we choose to and say what we please. Now, of course, what is said should be respectful. Still, somebody should not be hated for standing for what they believe or think.  

When an individual tries speaking out about where they stand politically, they get bashed and loathed. Why? Simply because someone may not agree with what they politically stand for. What does that say about our society? In this post, I will share my view on the presidential election as a 16-year-old Latina. 

 

A United Nation Is What We Need

 

Amongst the madness of this year’s election, I hope that whoever wins this election will lead our nation to success and keep us united. Currently, all I see is a division between people. It makes me worry about what the future holds for society. With the right leader and putting aside our differences, we can make our country strong and united.  

 

We are quick to judge others who do not share the same opinions or beliefs as us. I have seen countless negative comments about the presidential candidates, not only from the public but also from the candidates themselves. It is understandable to state what you believe in your campaign, but it is unnecessary to bring the other candidate down. Showing you can share what you stand for, while still respecting other opinions will lead us to unity.  

 

Joe Biden and Donald Trump are supposed to be viewed as leaders, but I do not see that in my eyes. Our nation is far from united. If you look deeper into our society, all you see is hatred. There is no love, no unity. I believe that this can change and our country—because of the change—will be stronger than ever. We need to remember our country’s history, and we do not want history to repeat itself. 

 

I hope for the sake of my generation and future generations that our nation will be united once again. We live in an over-sensitive world. People are quick to judge and get offended easily. For the sake of our country, we as a people need to stop taking things so personally. Not everything is about race, gender, background, or anything of that sort. 

 

Why Is Being United Important?

 

No one should grow up hating their country. In the year 2020, many tragic events took place that have had tensions at an all-time high. Racial arguments and police brutality, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic, have been the talk of the year. It appears the world cannot catch a break this year. Coronavirus has resulted in at least 750,000 deaths as of now. With the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor caused by police officers, outbreaks of violent protests take place.

 

“The sky is falling,” a quote from an iconic movie Chicken Little, sums up this year. So much chaos and destruction, it is like everyone is against one another. 

 

In January, I was so excited for the year 2020, but little did I know what a bumpy ride it would be. With stress levels high, we need a leader who will keep us united—someone who keeps their head up and remains positive even amongst the madness. How did we get to this point? It all happened within a blink of an eye. 

 

If our country is not united, we may have thought 2020 was rough, but the years to come will worsen. 

Freedom of Speech

At the beginning of my post, I mentioned our freedom of speech. I believe we genuinely cannot fully exercise this right, and we should. Yes, we should keep in mind those who will hear and remain respectful.  

 

There should not be a fear or a feeling of shame while speaking out about beliefs, opinions, thoughts, and so on. These are personal and not fact, so why feel ashamed? If someone does not agree with a statement, then move past it. It is not a huge deal; everyone is entitled to their own opinions.  

 

Recently I have seen damaging things on the internet, mostly social media platforms. Statements such as “there’s not a single attractive Trump supporter,” or “People who support Biden are clowns.”  

 

It is sad to see that young generations are speaking so harshly, and it is heartbreaking to see adults act the same. There is no longer respect shown towards adults from teenagers, and children. There is no respect shown to children and teenagers from adults.  

 

I am sure everyone who has a younger sibling has heard, “They are younger than you; you should be the bigger person.” How about “You are seriously arguing with a child.” Some people need to hear that again. I have said it before; we live in an over-sensitive world and an immature world.  

 

We should not be afraid or ashamed to express our beliefs and what we stand for. We should not need to put down anyone else for having a view we do not particularly agree with. I am a 16-year-old who cannot vote yet, but what I tell those who can vote is to not let your judgement be clouded. Our future president is someone who will lead our country and should unite us. Remember not everything you see and read on the internet is true.