Incredibly, there are people in the United States who are considering not voting in November, apparently. Can this be true? That some U.S. citizens of legal voting age actually plan to sit out the presidential election because they feel sour about politics?

I wonder: Where would they sit out the election of our next president – on planet Mars? And what would they expect to find after they returned in four years – or even in one year?

For decades, the U.S. has been working to convince other countries to become democratic like us. Still, many people around the world do not yet have the opportunity to vote. Wouldn’t we American citizens look like spoiled brats if those people saw us turn our backs on the voting process just because we might not feel 101 percent positive about any one candidate?

A presidential election is not a junior high popularity contest. And it’s not about our relationships with our mothers. It is about our relationships with all of our neighbors, near and far.

There are many, many people whose lives are greatly affected by the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. Remember to care. And be sure to vote!

Mariana Tupper

Yarmouth