Honesty, Integrity, Compassion, Passion, Empathy, Conviction.

As a gay dude, I've been relatively apathetic to US politics especially since there's been so much negative rhetoric from the Republican side about homosexuality. I've been pretty que sera, que sera about anything that politically happens in the US. All my life, I've viewed politicians as bought-out and not really caring about the people they should be caring for. I look at the US government and I feel like all I see are hypocritical snakes, saying one thing but zig-zagging to make it happen (or not). I figure life isn't going to be MY way, why care about the political process at all, why fight?

As a millennial, you hear and read stuff about other countries having free (or low tuition) college and healthcare for all, policies that exist in Germany, UK, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, etc but for some reason, not the US. Why is it that the greatest nation in the world doesn't guarantee those for its' citizens? That's because our politicians are paid to not make it happen and they gladly accept it. I'd always figure I'd move to more accepting place. I love America but in my own personal view, I thought the US wasn't for me and no one was TRULY fighting for it, most politicians were trying pass their own horrible agenda, increase their reputation, or get paid by private firms and special interests.

But this old guy comes along, talking those SAME points about easier access to healthcare and education. (I credit this to Reddit, since A LOT of posts about Sanders reached the front page.) Then I discovered his stand against segregation and the fact he HASN'T been bought by corporates, all of these AWESOME factors, I like him already. But the main hook for me was when I saw that video of him defending gay people in the military and the letter of him as mayor signing off the first gay pride in Burlington, Vermont and the reasons for doing so. Here's this guy defending the LGBT cause LONG before anyone else, I mean YEARS. I felt SO important after seeing those things, that I'm not just another citizen to fall in line with whatever the government says, but a voice and a vote that could this country if only I choose it, no one else.