Both emotions and tempers are running high as the dreaded election day of November 6 draws ever nearer. This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for; an electrically charged half year of political indignation and indecision has been leading up to this one day which will culminate in triumph for some and despair for others.
“The direction [of our country] will be completely different depending on who gets into office,” Olivia Williams, sophomore, said. “It makes me really nervous.”
Despite the drastic differences, however, we can all agree that our spectrum of opinions create a wonderful thing: democracy; the very phenomenon that allows this election to occur and for its citizens to have different political priorities. If America is a battleground of political ideologies than Arlington High is certainly a microcosm of this unrest; and with many of the seniors able to vote, it seems as though there is a particular political pertinacity among the student body.
“People are getting really excited about it,” Kelsey King, junior, said. “I can see why, considering how close it is, but some people are taking it too far. My friend’s mom started unfriending everyone on Facebook who wasn’t voting for Obama, which is just uncool.”
As with the rest of the country, we as students all have our own priorities to bring to the table. Each citizen of Arlington High seems to have their own outlook on which issue is most significant in the upcoming election, woman’s rights, college tuition and economic success to name a few; and everyone seems to have their own view on which candidate would most skillfully bring about the “change we need”.
For Christian Payne, senior, the differing opinions on abortion and woman’s right embodied by the parties are important voting issues.
“I identify more as a democrat,” she said. “[Women’s rights] would be a big one for me, and I want to be able to control my vagina.”
Brenna Hill, senior, voiced similar opinions when talking about her political beliefs, but also stressed the importance on coming up with one’s own view.
“I really think that by the time you’re in high school, you should be able to come up with your own opinion, instead of just repeating what your parents say,” she said.
Senior Rachel Garoutte, on the other hand, is voting for independent Ron Paul for a very specific set of reasons.
“I need help with college tuition,” Rachel said. “I’m tired of candidates making empty promises, and I think [Paul] is the lesser of two evils.”
Representing the right wing, junior Zach Leverette talks about his own political motivations.
“For me it’s a combination of nationalism, history and integrity,” he said.. “I honestly think the economy is the most important issue for the upcoming election, and in my opinion, Romney is the better candidate to fix it. I also think that his bipartisan past will allow for more progress in general.”
