Political T-Shirts featured outside of an AP US History classroom. Photo by Michael Bryant.

“Don’t bring politics into everything:” a phrase I have become very familiar with as someone who believes in speaking up about topics that I am passionate about, political or not. I have observed many people who avoid engaging in political conversations or interacting with anything inherently political at all. I think there has become a stigma surrounding the word politics, for an array of reasons. To many, the term calls to mind heated political arguments or stress-inducing news headlines. However, it is crucial to remain informed on the politics that impact aspects of almost everyone’s lives.

In its simplest meaning, politics refers to the way in which a governing body structures policy and law to manage a society. In the United States of America, these policies and laws affect nearly every aspect of people’s lives. Because of this, it is important to understand how our government works and the impact of the legislation that gets passed. In this day in age, many civil rights passed under previous administrations are up for reconsideration. By better understanding government operations, people can form well educated opinions surrounding these topics.

As highschoolers, politics may seem daunting or even irrelevant, but soon enough we will be 18 and eligible to vote. Having an awareness of politics in high school will set teenagers up to become informed voters. It is our civic duty as Americans to participate in democracy and vote in elections, whether presidential, congressional or state. Political efficacy is the belief that your vote matters. No matter where you are, voting is important; however, as future Georgia voters, our votes will especially matter. Georgia is a swing state in the presidential election, so either party has the potential to win the state’s electoral votes. Every vote counts, and yours will, too. Those over 17 ½, can register to vote at https://georgia.gov/register-vote.

Today’s political landscape has led to a striking increase in political polarization. In my opinion, certain topics should be non-negotiable. Students are forced to watch news stories about school shootings over and over again, with no change being pursued due to the gridlock caused by the reluctance of lawmakers to work together. This polarization is also one of the reasons discussing politics has become so difficult. The ability to process multifaceted issues with the nuance they require has been lost in our current political climate.

On a similar note, political debate is something that I feel could be very beneficial when approached correctly and with good intentions.