Vote and/or STFU!!

So I was thinking about this year's presidential election. Ya know, I was about to make up a fake acronym for STFU because my mother reads all my blog posts, but I'm 41 years old and super grown, so it is what it is at this point...HEY, MA! Lol...anyway, I've been thinking about the election and I cannot WAIT for it to be over. Please don't take this the wrong way. I am well aware of the dire importance of this election. I even plan on getting out early to vote, but I REALLY need people to STFU. Let me see if I can get you to understand where I'm coming from.

Admittedly, I am NOT the most well versed in the area of politics. I know the bare bone minimum, the basics! I can engage in a political conversation for a good 10 minutes. Beyond that, I'm zoning out and thinking about what I'm going to have for lunch the next day, deciding whether or not I should get tickets for Usher's Las Vegas residency, or trying to remember why it's 180 degrees and not 360 degrees. I also know enough to discuss with my 18 year old why he should vote for the first time (which he did already...I'm so proud!!) and why his vote does in fact count. But, I KNOW my limitations. You won't hear me quoting stats about the Trump/Pence administration vs the Obama/Biden administration. You will not catch me debating on social media about tax policies or healthcare. And there most definitely will not be any persuasion blog post about why one party is better than the other or why they actually all suck. I wish more people were like me though and stayed in their lanes. Who knew I was acquainted with so many political pundits and poli-sci majors?? Hey, sharing knowledge is fine. Some tidbit of information you have may help in the decision making of someone who is undecided about who they should vote for or whether or not they should vote at all. Or it can assist people in understanding the election process better. I really don't have a problem with people sharing facts or even their opinions. What grinds my gears are the people who think they know so much that they condemn others for not knowing what (they think) they know or for not agreeing with their stance. It irks my soul when a person tries to force information on another in a judgmental and condescending way. And it makes my skin crawl when someone has just discovered a documentary on Netflix or just realized that CNN or MSNBC is in their channel line-up or watched a debate for the first time in their 53 years and now all of sudden they are experts spewing hate, stupidity, or misinformation in the most obnoxious way possible. Those are the cases when I wish that a person would just vote and STFU! People, especially adults, should be able to voice their opinions and state facts without attacking a person's intelligence or character.

Then, you have the other extreme; folks who pretty much mirror the techniques of the people mentioned above, except they are NOT voting! But not only are they vehemently explaining why we shouldn't vote and why most of our votes don't count anyway, they are also plentiful with the complaints! Complaining about the inadequacies of the candidates, about what politicians have or have not done, about the state of our government, and the list goes on. All of this without offering any logical solution or having/implementing any alternate action plan. Truth be told, I don't think the powers that be are too interested in what a non-voter has to say. How do the kids say it? I thought somebody who don't vote said sum'n! Lol...but seriously, things are set up so the main way to be heard is to exercise your civic duty and vote...not just in the presidential election, but in your local elections which have more of a direct effect on you, your community, and your everyday life. So, this case is when I need people to vote or STFU! If not voting is the best decision for you and your household, fine, that's totally your prerogative. But again, leave other people alone if they don't agree and shut your complaining face up if you have no solutions or intentions to make any moves toward change.

As a Black woman, I'm ALWAYS going to vote. There have been too many who fought and suffered before me, just so I could have this right. If for nothing else, I feel like I owe it to my ancestors. I respectfully encourage all who can to vote. Become as informed as you can. Do you your own research and fact checking. We literally have all the information and resources we need right at our finger tips, right in our pockets and pocketbooks! 

https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/eoddomestic.htm
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