The last month or so has been an amazing study on current American society. I’ve quickly realized that we have a booming problem of passive-aggressive social media outbursts, mostly proclaiming that people are not inherently political – and then they continue on with a political rant.

Every day during our last Mayo trip, George would stop and say the Pledge of Allegiance to this flag. He was only 6, and he gets it.

Let me be clear: I’m a political person. I enjoy politics. I have definite ideas of what I would like to see our country look like in the future. I want to be engaged, involved and abreast of the topics. I will tell you, straight up, how I feel. And not with vaguebooking.

Let me just get a few thoughts off my chest:

1. You have the right to vote. Although I encourage you to exercise that right, guess what? It’s also your right not to vote. And when you choose not to vote, then I have the right to minimize your influence on my opinion. That’s how it works.
2. If you don’t believe in the “process” of government, then why are you shocked when it doesn’t work for you? Get involved. Make it work. Understand.
3. Guess what? Every American has elected officials that represent them at some level of government. We, as citizens, control who sits in those offices. Don’t like them? Vote for someone else. Encourage your neighbors to do the same (maybe make sure they’re in the same political district…I don’t encourage voter fraud. lol). Don’t like any of the choices? Run. Unless you can’t – legally. But if that’s the case, maybe you shouldn’t be protesting so loud.
4. You have the right to protest. But you don’t have a right to endanger others while doing so. Including blocking school buses full of children, throwing homemade bombs at law enforcement and leaving a mess behind that others are forced to clean up. I’ll defend your right to protest. But when your protest damages the very environment you proclaim to protect? I question your authenticity.
5. Have a complaint? Better have a solution to go with it. Complaining just to rant is fine. Just don’t do it on social media. That’s why everyone needs a BFF to rant to – Facebook is not your BFF.

I get it. Life is hard. Things don’t always go like we want. Our candidates may lose. Some laws aren’t passed. Budgets are cut. Spenditures may skyrocket. And we all should have an opinion on those things.

But let’s truly use the American rights we’ve been given. Because if we don’t – well, then don’t be surprised when the un-American Americans begin to take over.