It’s tough to be affiliated with any political party these days. If you are a registered Republican like me, you automatically get labeled as a racist homophobe who is going to vote for Donald Trump. If you are a registered Democrat, you are automatically labeled as a freeloading baby-killer who is going to vote for Hillary Clinton. The thing is, though, none of that is true. I don’t know when the assumptions and the attacks exactly started in our world, but it’s kind of sickening.

Just because I am a registered Republican, certainly does not mean that I am going to vote for Donald Trump or that I agree with his 2016 platform. That’s why the general election doesn’t care what political party you are associated with — because you have the freedom to vote for whoever is the best fit for you at this point in your life. Believe it or not, I am a level-headed individual and I don’t just vote for someone because they represent the political party that I am registered with. Like many others, I look at all of the issues, prioritize, and weigh them accordingly in order to compare appropriately. Also, like many others, I am absolutely dumbfounded that out of the millions of people in this country, these are the two candidates we ended up with. I am completely lost and at this point in time have absolutely no idea who I will be voting for.

Here is the thing, though: the person that I am going to vote for is really nobody’s freaking business. Does anyone remember the saying about how there are three things that you should not talk about? For anyone who hasn’t, they are religion, money and politics. I try to stay away from any conversations having to do with politics these days because no matter what I say, even if I partially agree with the person, I will still probably get verbally attacked in some way or another. There is a reason that voting booths have walls around them. Your choices and what you believe is best for this country can be private and for your own personal knowledge. Personally, the only people who will know the honest truth of who I vote for in November will be myself and God.

The attack that people take for believing in something really goes to show that this upcoming election and four years to follow is not all that is wrong with this country. Just because someone doesn't support an issue that you do, does not make you a victim and suddenly give you the right to start attacking them. If you believe in something you should fight for it. When did using your time fighting against the other side ever get you anywhere? We need to all work together, whether we agree on issues or not, to bring more respect and positivity into the world. Fight for what you believe in with class, not crass.

I cannot even stand to be on social media anymore. It is full of so much hatred, with statuses that are literally opening a can of worms looking for a brutal debate, full of obscenities and offenses. Isn’t there enough violence in the world without adding the violence of words? You aren’t going to change anyone’s mind by arguing with them and everyone is entitled to their own opinion and beliefs. How about instead of wasting your time debating and insulting others behind the safety of your computer screen you actually go out into the world and positively advocate for the rights you are voting for?

Everyone believes in different issues for different reasons. Everyone has had different life experiences that set them apart and make them believe in and support different things. I may prioritize a certain issue more than someone else does. And you know what? That is OK. You know what else is OK? Having a different viewpoint from someone. It’s what makes America so beautiful, a melting pot. Just be grateful that we live in a country of democracy where we are free to have our own opinions and have a say as to what happens. I don’t care if you strongly believe in something that I strongly don’t. My best friend and I have very different viewpoints on things and he always ends our conversations with “Let’s just agree to disagree. I still love you, anyways.”

So yes, I am a registered Republican and I won't apologize for that, but it doesn't mean that the Republican candidate will always be best in my eyes or that I won't vote for what I truly feel is best, so put your assumptions to rest. I believe in respecting different viewpoints. We all should. You know what I will never respect, though? People that apologize for their viewpoints. Don’t you dare. What you believe in makes you who you are and that is a beautiful thing. Stand by what you believe in and fight for it with everything in you. That is an admirable thing, and even if you vote for the opposite candidate as I do in the election, I amproud of you for going to the voting polls, exercising your right, and doing your due diligence as a citizen of the United States. Walk out of there with a smile on your face and wear your "I Voted" sticker with pride. Most of all, don’t you ever apologize for your political party affiliation or the issues that you support and fight for, because I certainly am not going to apologize for mine.