LIFE/Madeline Merlic: America, the beautiful

Up until this point, I have lived in the United States my whole life. A Californian native, I have been raised with what people would call liberal ideals.

As a kid, my dad was open about politics and would try to discuss them with by brother and I over dinner while my mom, who is a Canadian citizen living in the U.S. with a visa, would just shake her head. Even at a young age, I got a feeling that she was a bit overwhelmed with politics in the U.S.

Being here in Italy, watching the election unfold, it is kind of like watching a sinking, burning ship. I am constantly bombarded with news clips on social media sites that give “highlights” of the most recent presidential campaign speech or the worst of all, the debates.

Why am I so pessimistic you may ask? I am this way because I live and have to work in a system that is constantly trying to work against itself. The right side (Republicans) and the left side (Democrats) only ever seem to bash each other and what the opposite side is proposing. It just seems like the country will never come together and it’s really frustrating. You would think that people in power would work together for the common good but it just doesn’t seem to turn out that way.

I am a part of a generation who feels disheartened by the politics and by the unrest that is breaking its way into cities across the U.S. We are disheartened by the fact that groups of people have to fear for their lives when they get pulled over or are approached by a police officer. We are disheartened by the government wanting to control the reproductive rights of a woman.

We are disheartened. We are upset. We are embarrassed by this election.

So, the big question here is am I voting on this quickly approaching election day? No, I have decided not to vote in this election because I do not agree with either presidential candidates; to me choosing between the two is like using a double edged sword, either way you are going to get hurt.

This may seem ridiculous, that why should I be complaining when I have no plans to vote? I guess that that is the beauty of an opinion; one that has been shaped by the negativity and the slander that comes out of every election season. That is molded by the hate that is broadcasted on television, in the newspapers and on social media throughout the past year. For these reasons, I decide to abstain from voting and choose to watch from the sidelines as the ship continues to sink.