Third Way: One Size Doesn't Fit All
Mockup Free
The ideal voter: Is it an individual in clean pressed business wear? A parent with a baby on their hip? A newly 18 year old? What do they look like? These are the questions elected officials ask themselves prior to jetting off on their campaigns. The issue to be determined, however, lies in the ways unconscious bias and internal prejudice drive these decisions.
A basic understanding of the ways in which the human brain comprehends, records, and stores knowledge must be introduced prior to fleshing out an extensive analysis of the decision making process conducted by a politician and their staff.
The concept of unconscious bias must be acknowledged first and foremost. Unconscious bias is the way an individual associates something with others. In a more tangible explanation, it is the way in which one's brain automatically separates individuals, social groups, religions, political parties, and such into “boxes” in their mind based on perceived stereotypes or preconceived beliefs. When unchecked cases of unconscious bias can result in negative profiling which may cause the oppression of a given group, whether that is the intent or not. Just because unconscious bias is an “automatic” reaction does not mean that one is not responsible for these thoughts and their potential to be oppressive to that group or individual if acted upon.
Unconscious bias within politics has been discussed widely, most notably in terms of policing and the ways in which racial profiling affects rates of arrest, distribution of arrests across various social groups, and the most likely areas to be patrolled more heavily by law enforcement. This is not to say that law enforcement are the only individuals affected by implicit bias, everyone is capable of it, and worse yet, everyone is capable of weaponizing it. It was former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who said during her Presidential Debate against Donald Trump that, “Implicit bias is a problem for everyone, not just police”. And so it is. Unconscious bias or implicit bias, as it also known, is something everyone has and thus everyone must work to counter when possible.
Within the political scheme, this sense of bias is displayed typically through a lens of weighing the worthiness of someone's vote based on markers such as ethnic or racial identity, gender, socio-economic class, and education level. When these factors are used to qualify and or disqualify individuals as “important” or “worth speaking to”, it alienates a large portion of the voter population in the United States. Moreover, it also portrays a clear message that one is more valuable than the other; which is simply not true.
According to a study done by the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State, individuals who recorded ease of voting as a top priority of theirs also stated that, “Voting is the foundation of our country. Anything less risks privilege and bigotry” and, “It is our constitutional right to vote”. These assertions create a direct link to the idea that everyone wants to be heard and acknowledged, particularly in regard to political representation and legislation.
The diverse face of this nation is made better and stronger by the melding of different ideas and identities. This is made possible through the democratic process. Each person of voting age, no matter their ethnicity, race, gender, income, or education level (to name only a few) has an equal chance to cast their vote and be heard. This is what democracy is about. Democracy is a united people working to create a world where the best interest of everyone is considered.
It would be a fool's errand to assume that prejudice and imbalance of this world could be done away with by the results of one election or the perfect candidate. It will take time. It will take effort. Most of all, however, it will take the efforts of all people. Different and similar, standing together and supporting one another. It is paramount that all people be aware of the preconceived notions and stereotypes they hold and challenge them everyday. The world can not become a more tolerant and welcoming place if the things that divide it are not acknowledged.
The United States has been referred to as a “Melting Pot”. It is a collection of unique identities and experiences all of which bring their own form of value to the conversation. Everyone must stand up for themselves. Your voice matters and your vote matters. So go out and make that known. No one should tell anyone else that because they don't have x, y, or z degree or make less than six figures that they are a less valuable civil citizen. Every ballot is weighed the same. Every ticket is run through the machine and stamped and counted the same each time. Everyone’s voice matters and it is time that be fully acknowledged.