In a world where politics affects our every move as U.S. citizens, being apolitical is not an option. In fact, being apolitical is a threat to the preservation of our democracy.
Politics is way too nuanced for people not to have an opinion on it. It affects us from the laws that are in place in our country, our healthcare and even the price of the McChicken you want to buy when you are hungry.
But as we continue to live in an evermore polarizing era of politics, where what we see on the news only gets scarier by the minute, it may seem like not taking a stand or holding any kind of political belief to protect your peace is the safer option.
But, in fact, it is not safe at all. In the U.S. you have the ability to exercise your right of freedom of speech. On top of that, you have the ability to vote for the president and policies you want to implement.
Being an apolitical sideline voter – people who don’t vote in elections – means you are giving up the ability to exercise the right to make your voice heard and have a say in the politics going on throughout our country.
By being apolitical, not only are you hurting yourself, but also allowing negative policies to affect marginalized communities in the U.S. For example, close to 90 million people decided not to vote in the 2024 presidential election, with Kamala Harris receiving 48.3% of the popular vote and Donald Trump receiving 49.8% of the popular vote.
A difference of 90 million people would have been enough to sway the election drastically. With 90 million people, Harris could have won the presidency and there is a chance President Donald Trump would not be in office.
It is incredibly selfish to be apolitical. If you are not going to vote for yourself, at least think of the other people who could be affected by negative policies such as anti-trans laws and the dismantling of the Department of Education. Not voting makes you complicit in these policies being passed.
Being apolitical means you are cheating yourself out of making your voice heard and allowing presidents to implement harmful policies that not only affect you but also other people as well.
Stand for something, make your voice heard. Not taking a stance in politics doesn’t make you better than the Republicans or Democrats; it just shows that you don’t have a strong opinion about anything and that you lack the critical thinking to consciously think about politics in any way.
