The world is essentially burning. Every day is a rough news cycle.

The president and some Republican senators and congressmen are trying to dismantle human rights.

I hear people complain and whine about what is happening in the world, and I’m right there with you. I get sad. I get mad. I feel like the world is ending.

What do I do about it?

I speak my mind, but most importantly I vote.

I hear people complain, but when I ask if they vote, they tell me “no.”

There is nothing that bothers me more than that. I’ve had many, many, many conversations with Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Green Party and others about the political climate, and they all agree that voting is the most important thing you can do.

When you tell me that you don’t vote, all I can hear you saying is that you don’t actually care.

When you tell me that you don’t vote, all I can hear you saying is that you are perfectly fine with the state of the country.

When you tell me that you don’t vote, all I can hear you saying is that you are a terrible American.

Voting is your civic duty, and your vote matters. Your vote is your voice, and your voice matters.

With the addition of social media, your voice is louder than before. If someone tells you otherwise, you can tell them to get off their high horse and sit down.

During this month’s primaries, I went to three different polling places in Suffolk to write an article, but that story was hard to come by because the polls were dead empty.

I understood it was only a Republican primary, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from voting. Pick a Republican you wouldn’t hate being in office if the Democrat running doesn’t win.

When the election comes around in November, I will be at the poll first thing in the morning to make sure I have time to vote before I go to work. What is depressing is that I don’t have to get there right when it opens, because it’s never busy.

I shouldn’t have to scream it from the rooftops that people should do their civic duty and go vote. Everyone, especially in this political climate, should be voting to make a positive change.

If you don’t vote, you are telling the world that you don’t care enough about what is going on to do anything about it.

Be patriotic for more than one day a year and go vote. Vote locally. Vote in statewide elections. Vote for a better president. Just go vote.