The November 2024 election was my first time voting. Being away from home, at school, I cast my vote for President via mail-in ballot around the beginning of October. I had been overjoyed to vote for the first time, and it felt extremely special since it would be for our future leader of the “Free World.” I should preface by saying I have had the chance to vote before in the 2022 Illinois State elections but had fallen ill and was extremely disappointed that I couldn’t participate. That’s why this election was so important to me.
My hometown is one, that without the populous of Urban college students, is shaded a deeper tone of red. Though with the rise of outspoken individuals on social media and younger individuals becoming more educated I have started to notice a few more blue hues pop up here and there.
I feel that as a writer and to whoever is reading this I should share that I did not always share the views that I do now. I was wearing rose-colored glasses because of all the badgering I’d been hearing growing up; from my father, my friends, classmates, and other parents. I had become another sheep following the herd, and unfortunately was silently promoting a MAGA agenda to fit in with the crowd.
My stances on many opinions were different from other people’s, but I didn’t want to be put into the category of Democrat, because of the hateful things people I surrounded myself with would say about them.
The straw that broke the camel’s back, however, was the school shooting that happened in 2018, during freshman year, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. After those following weeks, I slowly put together a puzzle in my brain of things I saw as important to me. As a future educator, gun control became the number one priority. That’s why when the Oxford High School shooting took place in 2021, that section of the puzzle was complete and a few friends had now become acquaintances because, to them, a gun was more important than a child who wanted to learn.
Recently, with the overturn of Roe v. Wade, I have learned that blood is not thicker than water. It’s been disappointing to see and hear the false claims and disgusting judgments family relations could make about someone based on a choice they’re making with their own body. Though, as I understand it, those people made their choice for a “man” to make a decision about my body. So I want them to think about the idea of their daughters and grandchildren and the possible heinous future and you telling them that they have NO options. Because YOU took them away.
I understand what I’ve done, and who I’ve supported in the past was wrong. But never again. I am proud to say that I voted for Kamala Harris. And though she may not have won. I can be glad to say that after these four years of personal hell, that man will never be allowed to run this country again, and that is something I can drink to.