We are taught from a young age that we can make a difference. That in order to make changes, we simply need to fight for what we believe in. For the majority of my childhood, I listened to this while scoffing and rolling my eyes. How could the actions of one person affect anything important? How could my opinions change anything at all?

I began to pay more attention to what was going on in the world around me. I saw terrorist attacks, I saw mass violence, I saw morals crumbling to the ground everywhere I looked. This raised a lot of questions for me. Why is this being allowed to happen? Isn’t good supposed to defeat evil? The more I looked the more evil I saw. Abortion, violence against police officers, racism from all sides of the color spectrum. I began to research further and I quickly became drawn to conservatism. My beliefs strengthened, and I further recognized the need for change.

Over the course of a few years, my interest grew. I still cared about preventing the obvious evil in the world, but I also cared about the things that would help the United States run smoothly. The importance of the Bill of Rights became very clear to me as I began to notice that the left seemed to be fighting against several of our rights. Worse than that, they were making it appear as though they were doing this in the name of morality. Somehow, taking away guns and the ability to protect one’s self is “safe”. Allowing in an infinite number of refugees and putting American people at risk is “humane.” Suppressing freedom of speech that contradicts their agenda is “anti-fascist.”

I am now a senior in high school, which means it’s about time to decide what I am going to spend the majority of my life doing. Towards the beginning of the year, that was medicine, solely because I could see myself making a difference in the lives of other people through that. Then my parents talked to me about how I need to follow what I am called to do, not what I feel obligated to do. They understood that I was weary of becoming a “politician”, but they also understood that politics is something that gives my life meaning.

I have been paying attention to the possibility of devoting my career to conservatism, and I now believe it is something I can and should do. I saw the difference people were able to make, just by following their beliefs. I saw the March for Life standing up against Planned Parenthood and abortion. I saw Nikki Haley, a female United States Ambassador to the United Nations, voice her pro-American beliefs and have them be heard. There is no reason why my voice can’t be heard, why I can’t positively impact the world. My disinterest in becoming a stereotypical politician and my self-doubt cannot stop me from spreading truth and doing what I am meant to do.

The divide between conservatives and liberals is blatant, but sadly some believe that the left is the side that is for human rights. The truth that became so apparent to me through research is being ignored by those who only see the lies of the left. It is easy to believe claims of “we are against racism”, “we fight for human lives”, and “we stand for women” when no research has been done to disprove them. The very same people claim “no one can be racist against a white person”, “abortion is a right”, and “women need extra help men don’t need”.

This is why it is incredibly important that conservatives do not allow their voices to be silenced. The truth is not something to be scared of or ashamed of. We have the right to be heard, and we have the obligation to be heard. Change is possible, but only if brave people speak up and speak loudly. My childhood self was wrong. Every voice matters.