Ben Hensley:  Editor-in-Chief

The United States of America is the land of opportunity. Our opportunity starts in the voting booth.

Whether by mail or in person (social distancing required), voting is a right given to all Americans, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or any other difference that makes each of us a unique citizen of this country.

Voting privileges are awarded to US citizens once they turn 18. Voting, and the ability to make your voice heard is something the US has taken pride in.

Despite all that, in the last national election, according to a report from census.gov, only 61.4% of eligible citizens voted.

And yet seemingly all US citizens have an audible word to say, positive or negative, about the current political climate.

What right do we, as citizens, have to speak up if we don’t show up?

How can we complain about the state that we are in if we aren’t actively participating in the means to change it?

This is why “we the people” must vote.

We vote to make our voices heard.

We vote to make certain that we had a say in the  matter – win or lose.

As a citizen who has had the privilege to vote in every election since my 18th birthday, I have not always been on the “winning” side of election results.

But my voice has always been heard in a voting booth.

As a citizen of this country, it is my responsibility to vote.

David:  Opinion Editor

Voting is the practice of one of our most basic rights as citizens of a democracy.

With voting, we have the opportunity to continually advocate for real change—for the wellbeing of ourselves, our family, and our community. It is part of the process of real political protest; voicing concerns, unifying voices, and voting to implement change.

Young people especially have the most to be concerned about as significant changes now could have drastic effects for years to come.

And yet voter turnout among 18 to 29 years old has been less than 50% since 2008. In 2016 voter turnout among 18 to 24 year old’s was less than 40%.

Now is the time to change that.

And the best part is, that at the end of the day your vote is no less important than the President’s vote, or of the eighteen-year-old who just graduated high school. It’s the great equalizer of people.

We are all collectively a part of this democracy and our opinions on how our lives are influenced by our government, both locally and nationally, matter. 

Apathy kills democracy. Everyone has an opinion and every opinion is important.

So please go vote.

Julie Chavez:  News Editor

I think we can all agree that this year alone has been very eye-opening. 

All the corruption that goes on in local and federal government and law enforcement has become very visible, thanks to social media. 

Personally, I’ve just begun to pay more attention to my surroundings by listening to the experiences of others and reading about injustice that communities of color have faced for years.

All of this has definitely been enough to change my perspective on politics.

Considering most of my relatives cannot vote or choose not to, I see it as my responsibility to vote and attempt to make a change that will benefit me and millions of others in the future. 

I see so much potential in my generation and future generations. 

It’s really hard to see older generations constantly make decisions that do not benefit us. 

From the looks of it, current President Donald Trump and the mostly republican Supreme Court are itching to implement some laws dealing with immigration, abortion, and the LGBT+ community amongst many other important issues. 

These laws will undoubtedly affect Americans across the board and will most likely push America back in terms of equality and ideology. 

When speaking to friends and reading everything I see online, it’s clear to see that younger Americans want to push further away from these old fashioned ideologies and ways of being.

The only way I see this happening is by voting for a presidential candidate who has a similar vision to ours. 

There’s just so much riding on this year’s election, and if we don’t vote, we eventually will see the consequences. 

So just vote! 

Patrick Henslee:  Managing Editor

Being a young person in 2020 is entirely discomforting. 

I feel lucky to live in a time that features astounding technological progress, communication and transportation systems that make life easier, advancements in modern medicine and improving social tolerance.

Duly, those technologies are driven by corporate entities who’s actions go unchecked, an easier life breeds stubborn complacency, healthcare costs grow increasingly unaffordable and somehow, there are still people who don’t think racism and the lack of LGBTQ+ acceptance are prominent issues.

And I didn’t even mention the rising costs of college education, the increasing stratification of socioeconomic classes, the environment’s deterioration at the hands of climate change or the blurring of the lines separating what should be tolerable from an American government.

I can’t believe I only have 200 words to use for this. 

Simply put, many advancements are impressive, but there are many more glaring issues that still need to be resolved.

That being said, young people still don’t cast their vote. And as time has proven, the wealthy, the old and the white (or some combination of the three) always get their vote in every four years.

Those demographics heavily benefit from keeping things the way they are, even when it’s obvious that we’re due for more equitable change. And it’s simple calculus: you need to be the change you want to see.

Being that voting is the beginning of societal progress, the importance of getting to the polls and exercising your ability to vote is understated.

It’s not just a right anymore, it’s an obligation.