How To Have A Conversation With Your Friend Who Won’t Vote
Dear frustrating American...
Ahh the joys of having "that friend" that just won't vote. With the 2016 elections looming and all the news buzzing with "Hilary this" and "Donald Trump that" you've got a lot on your plate already for picking someone to vote. And now you have THAT friend that just refuses to vote, when you know deep down in your heart of hearts that they should be voting.
Well, here's a helpful guide on how to deal with "that friend" whoever they may be.
"I don't like either of the candidates."
We get it, you're like one of those people spreading memes around that say "319 million people and we narrowed it down to this?!" You don't like Trump or Clinton so you think it's totally ok to just bow out for this election, thanks.
Politicians are sometimes really easy to dislike. Politicians are publically aired for the entire world to see, and because of that, it's pretty easy to recognize their flaws. But just stop thinking about them as a "person" for a while. We should look at what this person advocates for.
Because here's the main point: you don't have to LIKE a political candidate. All you have to do is understand politics and each candidate's platform to make an informed decision about who you would rather have leading our nations. Even if it means choosing the lesser of two evils, voting can be a way for you to express your opinion on the issues at hand. It's that simple.
"But it's just ONE vote."
"There are SO many people in the U.S., what does it even matter if I decide not to vote?!"
Nope. No. Nein. It counts. It counts numerically. You are a number that contributes to who we put in office.
For example, in the primaries Senator Sanders won the county of Methuen in Massachusetts by, wait for it, ONE VOTE: 3,409 to 3,408. Though he didn't win the nomination, these little examples show really how much a vote matters.
"I don't technically HAVE to if I don't want to"
No, you're right. You could just sit on your ass and let the election season pass you by. But that would be lazy right?
Not only would it be lazy, it shows your complete disregard for our history, tradition, and values that this nation was founded upon. If you are a minority, a woman, someone in the middle class, someone that believes in a non-protestant religion, an American citizen, and immigrant, or even just a human being-- you can bet that someone in the history of your families past FOUGHT for your right to have a say in this country.
And you sitting on your fat ass is just throwing that right away. Nice 😑
"I'm too busy, and it's just like a lot of work."
Americans are a busy people. We have loads of things on our plate. Work, family, and life can just get in the way of things. But please don't let it get in the way of civic duties, like voting. Talk to your employer, your family, or all those things you "think" are getting in the way of your vote, my guess is these people will let you have your time to get to the polls.
Registration itself takes little time, only requiring you to present identification. You can even do it online. HERE'S THE LINK DO IT NOW
Well, you did it. Your friend successfully tried every excuse in the book, and you worked your magic to try to convince them otherwise. Great job. You can now go about your day knowing that you did your part as a U.S. citizen.
SHARE with "that friend" or someone struggling to get off their butt and to the polls.