No One's Moving. And This Nation is Great.

I don't know about you, but I, for one, am ready for this election to be over.

I am tired of the campaign signs in people's yards. I'm tired of those awful ads on TV. I'm tired of every Op-Ed in the paper being dedicated to one candidate or another.

The thing is, this seems to be the general consensus of pretty much every one I know. We're all tired of it. Even my students, who are still years away from voting, are tired of it.

What's sad is that so many people, including myself, have talked about how this year's election looks to be a battle between who is bad and who is worse. It always seems to be a battle between the lesser of two evils, but this year seems especially bad. People are spouting their opinions here and there. And, really, it's just hateful for the most part. (And, as the sage Taylor Swift said, why you gotta be so mean?)

You're stupid if you support Trump. 

There's a special place in hell for women who don't help each other. 

Every single Bernie Sanders supporter is a sexist and a racist. 

Source.

So, pretty much no matter who I vote for, I'm either stupid, a sexist, a racist, or I'm going to end up in hell.

Well that sounds nice.

It seems as though, at this point, America is doomed and going to hell in a hand basket. We're all moving to Canada or Europe. And this nation isn't great.

But do we really feel that way?

I had an experience this weekend that stopped me for a second a really made me think.

I attended my sister Emma's graduation on Saturday. At the beginning of the ceremony, as at the beginning of nearly every official event in the United States, the national anthem was sung.

And do you know what I noticed?

Everyone stood up.

Everyone.

Everyone placed their hand over their heart.

The men took off their hats.

Nearly everyone sang along.

My liberal sister stood next to my old-school Democrat grandmother and behind my ultra-conservative parents.

And we all honored America.

As I looked around I realized that America isn't doomed. We're not going to hell in a hand basket. No one's moving. And this nation is great.

Whether we realize it or not, we all still believe in hope, and we have it for this country. Or else we wouldn't all stand up for the Star-Spangled Banner, beside our brothers from different (and more liberal) mothers, and honor our nation.

I would like to believe that no matter who is president, the United States of America will continue to be a great nation not because of her leadership, but because of the people who love her.