Late United States President John F. Kennedy once said, “The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.” The attitude that each of us takes towards the election, will affect every single one of us. Someone’s vote may determine who leads our country. This is why it is so important for Villanova students to discuss the election with one another.
I have found that in my experience, most students are afraid to discuss politics with one another, and understandably so. Politics is one of the most conflicting topics one can discuss, and we are often taught not to bring up such a sensitive topic. However, I believe there is a world in which we can make others aware of the election and the importance of their vote, without arguing over which side anyone will take. Villanova is one community, and it doesn’t matter what the opinion is of each student, no matter what we are all still one family. Thus we should be able to have these necessary conversations with one another and educate each other about our political climate.
Many friends and peers that I have spoken with have informed me that while they are registered, they don’t plan on walking to the polls on Nov. 5. Others never ended up registering at all. I believe that if this was a more common conversation among Villanova students, students would feel encouraged and inspired to register and take a role in our country’s political landscape. By not wanting to create strife among one another, we are impairing our democracy and hindering the value of the votes of the Villanova students who are passionate about the election.
When I try to discuss the important news headlines or recent debates, an uncomfortable shift automatically sits in the air. However, as young adults learning how to be on our own in this world, we need to be able to speak with one another about these important topics and make one another aware of why our opinions are so important. Villanova has created a community in which even though our opinions are different, we support one another and encourage one another to express our opinions, no matter how different they are. I think that by not speaking up and pushing one another to read articles, get registered and have these conversations, we are doing our fellow Villanovans a huge disservice.
Among my group of friends, I have continued to be a proponent of the conversation, and in turn, that has helped to make the topic feel less outlandish or foreign. We have been able to sit down and watch the debates and send one another articles to keep each other up to date with election details. All of us have different perspectives and different opinions, that is not the purpose of having these discussions. The purpose of discussing the election is to make one another aware of our duty to vote and help empower one another to use our privilege.
We are so blessed to live in a democracy and Villanovans need to remind one another of that. There are many nations in which they don’t even have the freedom to discuss these topics let alone vote for their leader. In my opinion, these privileges should not be gathering dust but rather utilized by every Villanova student, and while many students exercise these opportunities, I know many who do not.
“While I haven’t experienced any political debate within my classes so far and don’t talk about politics much myself, I do feel that politics is an avoided topic due to the fact that it can bring up a lot of tension especially with the intensity of this particular election,” freshman business student Sylvia Barresi said. “I will say though that I was happily surprised with the amount of volunteers and support around getting students to register to vote on campus.”
Meanwhile, in my math class, our professor has made it a point to discuss the importance of voting in this election. I find that there are many inconsistencies in the opinions and views of students on campus regarding the importance of voting.
As a community, we should come together to encourage one another and hold one another accountable because our votes matter. Most students will be voting in their first election and we have the power in a swing state, like Pennsylvania, to turn the tide and decide how this election will go. Thus, I believe we need to turn the conversation from inconsistent to consistent and show one another that as Villanovans it is our responsibility to have these conversations.
