Proud to Be!

Happy Election Day! I've been reading articles upon articles lately. Some concern the political candidates, others about how politics affect the movie-going experience, still others about how the voting process is going... And the majority of these articles include a comments section. It's crazy to me how extreme people can become, especially concerning politics. When reading comments, 1 out of 30 may be a middle of the road person. The other 29 contain words like right-wing nuts, anti-American, hate-spewing liberals... It bothers me that a person cannot be more considerate of others' beliefs. Why, if someone disagrees with a few of the States or government's actions, are they anti-American? Why must someone be a "walmart-shopping joe sixpack" if they lean to the right?

And yet, reading these things give me a great sense of patriotism! We may be a bit too passionate in our politics, but we have the right to be! Reading an article just a few minutes ago, a woman stated that she was happy to stand in a 2-3 hour long line, nothing to occupy her time, because it meant she had the right to vote. And that's really what being a citizen of the United States of America means. The right to speak your mind. The right to stand in line for hours on end in order to make your voice heard. The right to disagree with neighbors, family, and friends, yet still remain friendly (I hope!). The right to hope and dream for a better future, and the right to fight for your future.

So, today, I proudly wear my I Voted sticker and I'm thankful for this election. It has been a crazy, practically two-year-long process, but in the end, we all get to make our voice heard. And in 4 years, we get to do it all over again! This is what makes me proud to be an American!