When discussing the tumultuous political climate with my peers, there is a frightening trend surrounding Hillary Clinton — people cannot separate criticism from biased, sexist rhetoric. I have personally accepted my fate as a voter to choose Clinton over a bigotry-fueled capitalist. However, that doesn’t mean I won’t be critical. If she is to be the Democratic nominee, I will stand with my finger to the pulse of her speeches and commentary, analyzing how her outline for America lines up with my rubric of what this nation truly needs. I gather this ever-updating stream of data and spread it outward in my social networks to see what others have to say and what they have also gleaned from the constant ticker tape of information input. This is what fuels my fire for discussion and my passion for information exchange. But I digress.

As a millennial, it isn’t hard to keep up to date with the political circus season with Twitter, satire commentary programs and social media shared articles and blurbs. Despite all this access, there is a shocking lack of knowledge to help digest the wordy speeches and terminology of the nation’s powerhouse. Younger generations are so inept on the topic of policy and those who control it that American public schools have begun requiring subpar courses often entitled "Government." Because it became a required subject and, to the modern teenager, the word "government" was synonymous was brain numbingly dull, very few students actually gleaned much from the class.

This is very perplexing given that everyone and their mother has an opinion on politics even if they know nothing about it. So the question becomes, “How can we start these important discussions without it turning into a war of biased, unfounded accusations?”

One great example of this sort of behavior comes from the group of Bernie Sanders supporters who have named themselves “Bernie Bros.” One Google search of this phrase and you come across a sickening number of articles on said Bernie supporters' behavior tending toward misogyny and bullying. As a Bernie Sanders supporter myself, I was horrified. How can so many people that hold bigoted ideologies support a man with such liberal, accessible policies? It is because they’ve taken to a man they idolize and projected perfection upon him.

So many people think that Senator Sanders is a super pill for the future of America, but the reality is that countries are not run by ideological saints. One good president will not solve the conflicts in the senate and within our local communities. Even so, others do not see this. Instead they take their frustrations and attack Hillary Clinton as the enemy and inherently despicable. Because of this, the reality that she is the most likely candidate to be chosen as the Democratic National Convention’s (DNC) nominee is being met with a great amount of outrage. As I type, political commentators are discussing how many Sanders supporters are absolutely convinced that the election process was rigged against Senator Sanders. True, there were many instances of voter disenfranchisement when turnout for Sanders was high. And yes, there were a few times when the numbers didn’t add up or Clinton received a mysterious boost in the polls, but that does not mean that the DNC and the entire nation was turned against the very idea of a President Bernie Sanders. This prevents the Democratic Party from moving forward as a whole.

Oftentimes it seems that young voters fall into a few categories: I’m Voting Because It’s My Right, I’m Voting Because I Don’t Want X To Win or My Vote Doesn’t Matter. The problem is not those who are heading to the polls; it’s those who are refusing to vote or simply have no intention of exercising their right to vote because they are convinced voting makes no difference in the world. For this article, I’m looking at you, Bernie Bros.

America is not as strong and old as many other nations across this world. Rome stood longer than America has existed and yet the nation’s loudest nationalists and patriots insist we are unbreakable, a Fort Knox of power and perfection. If America and her citizens wish to still stand together and make this nation great (for once) we must not bicker over what justice and necessity looks like. I find many of those still clinging to the idea of Bernie Sanders making the ballot also believe that this is a chance to make a point and prove something. What they forget is history is not written by the losers. Hillary Clinton is not Trump and, at the very least, that should be good enough for everyone.

Now, just because Clinton is likely to win her spot on the stage and will be accompanied by the charismatic Senator Tim Kaine does not mean I will stop scrutinizing their plans and policies. The polls aren’t even open yet, and there’s plenty of time left for them to completely stuff their foot in their mouths in front of millions.

Q: So how do we make sure our criticism and our discussions do not turn into a food fight of slurs and accusations?

A: Content, construction and cooperation

This is especially important when reading articles or watching news commentary. If the headline says “Policy” and the writer or reporters are talking unfounded accusations or complete lies, it’s not reliable. If the criticism of her policies does not suggest a way for a solution or compromise to be found, it’s not really discussing anything. Lastly, when talking with others, whether on the topic of Clinton or Trump, cooperate. Not everyone has the same ideas and opinions as you do. Some might be voting for Clinton but hold very conservative ideologies. Patience is the key to every good political discussion.

So, to all my fellow Bernie supporters, the reality is that Clinton will be on the ballot, and she is not Trump. Out of all the times to honor separate and beautiful but equal, this is not that time. This voting season will decide the next four to eight years of America's future, a nation of approximately 324 million people. This voting season cannot be left to petty wishes of a better world. So go ahead. Discuss Clinton in an honest, understanding way and hear her out. Not as an angry, disgruntled Bernie Bro, but as a citizen of a nation where you are gifted with the right to decide who leads your world into the future.