Why I Don't Vote

It's November 3rd, which means it's election day. I scroll through my Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, all of it and see hundreds of "I Voted" stickers from my friends. Everyone is "proud to be an American" and loves to "support this great country of mine." Direct quotes from some of my friends' posts. These are also the friends of mine who, just two days before election day, said they were fed up with American policies and want to move out of the country...

While people are standing in line waiting to do their so-called patriotic duty in voting, I'm sitting at work or at my apartment, catching up on work, catching up with friends, and talking to my family. I don't vote. I am one of the millions of people and one of the thousands of millenials who doesn't believe in voting for political figure heads. Here's why:

1) I go to school in Ohio but I'm from Chicago, as many of you know. I will only spend 4 years of my life here in Athens. My vote here doesn't represent the community of Athens or the surrounding towns in Athens county. The students are here for only a short time. Why should we put in our voices in this legislature when, by the time a policy will be recognized, we will be long gone? It's pointless.

2) People ask why I don't do absentee voting. Yes, I've spent my entire childhood and teenage years in Chicago, and I will always love my city. However, I'm not there now. My voice means nothing there, seeing that I spend a combined 3.5 months in the city throughout the year. Why vote when I'm not getting the benefits of the vote? Let the people who are spending years in the city get their voice heard. (But let's be real, even those people don't get their voices heard because of Chicago corruption. Good ol' Chicago).

3) Let's say you're voting a representative/senator/congressional leader/alderman whoever into office. If you think about it, politicians don't ever adhere to what you want; they only appeal to what their donors want, since they're the ones giving them money. They're great public speakers because they know how to use words in a way where they never answer a question outright. It's very easy to manipulate the general public with beautiful, flowery language.

4) I honestly don't care enough. All politics do anymore is create gridlock. Policies are rarely passed, laws are either ridiculously broad that they don't do anything or crazy specific to target a miniscule demographic, and they create great television ratings. Why waste my time to study an issue that will not get through the House in at least 5 years? I can spend my time doing more important things, like job hunting, writing articles, working on campus, or spending time with my family.

With all the political issues and division that has been created over the past four years, you really think voting is going to clear it up quickly? You're naive if you think that. There has been more division in this nation over the past year than I can recall. So you all can have fun being "patriotic" and then go bashing the nation not even an hour after you vote. Spend hours waiting in line to cast a ballot. I'll spend my time watching the Bulls and preparing for some MACtion.