To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Tara, and I am fourteen years old. Today, I ask of you a simple task: on Tuesday, November 8th (or before if you can), go out and vote for not only your country's President, but arguably one of the most powerful people in the world.
I am not going to avoid saying this either. I honestly hope you vote for Hillary Clinton.
I cannot vote, but if you can, I urge you to take advantage of a constitutional right that our founding fathers gave us 200 years ago. Not voting is a direct translation of not caring who the next President of your country is, and it does not matter if your favored candidate did not win the primaries, or you strongly dislike Clinton, Trump, Gary Johnson, and Jill Stein. You have to picture who would be best sitting in the Oval Office next January, and you have to put their name on the ballot. It's essential because that is the way our country works.
I am a girl living in Los Angeles. I am surrounded by people of all genders, religions, backgrounds, skin colors, and ideals. Depending on who you elect to the White House, some of those people or all of those people will be represented in our government. I know it's hard - this election seems like a joke to many adults, and I know it is painstakingly hard not to laugh when my teachers discuss what a candidate said at the last debate or rallying speech, but it's also important to realize that this election is not a joke. It's especially not a joke to the people whose jobs, homes, education, etc. are at stake depending on who takes the Oval Office.
Personally, I am worried about Tuesday. What will happen? Will my Muslim family friends be looked at differently when they walk down the streets, or be under "extreme vetting" merely because of the things they believe in? Will our world's climate continue to worsen because it is looked at as a hoax created by another country? Will my fellow gender, the women of America, be allowed to make an extremely hard decision when they become pregnant or not? I'm really not sure.
I am only a teenager, and I am completely aware that I am not as educated on this subject as many of the people reading this, but what I do know is that I want to feel safe in our country as a girl who is not white. When I go to airports, I want the police officers to look at my family the same way as they look at white families. What I do know is that I want my white friends, my black friends, my Asian friends, my Latina friends, and my mixed friends to know that as girls they have choices and rights. They are not judged by the way they look or their weight. They know that it's not okay for men to take advantage of them. I want them to know that the President of the United States is not a danger to their gender, and that the hardships that females face will get better, and not worse. I want my male friends to know that no matter if they are black or white, they are completely safe when walking down the streets of America, and their mothers shouldn't be nervous when the leave the house. I want my lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender friends to know that it doesn't matter who they choose to love, they will get the same opportunities as anyone else.
In short, I really don't care who you vote for, although I would prefer you stand with Secretary Clinton and make our country whole again. She is a strong, empowered woman who I look up to. She fought her way to becoming a real voice in our country and she broke, at that time, women's boundaries. The other candidates aren't even half the person she is.
All I want for you to do is think about how important it is to actually get up and vote, because although you may hate the candidates, think about who is better for the next generation of empowered young women and men.
Think about who is best for someone like me, someone who can't vote, but needs basic, human rights no matter their religion or skin color.
I thank and respect you to stop pretending as if you have no say, and use the voice that America has given you.
I am American and I deserve a country that keeps me safe and thriving. And you do too.