“If your vote doesn’t matter to you, I feel like that is a contagious way of thinking.”

Yamo Abdullah is a graduate student at UWM and recently got his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He is a refugee from Afghanistan and is now a citizen of the United States who is very passionate about his right to vote in this year’s presidential election.

Peyton Bell: What is making you feel indecisive about whom to vote for in this election?

Yamo Abdullah: I feel like both candidates have a tendency to lie in the public eye. If you look at one side of the story, we’re always being fed rhetoric that claims the other is bad. I don’t know how I feel about Trump because he was president before and he was labeled a “dictator,” but then we have Kamala who was vice president for three and a half years and I don’t feel like she’s helped the economy very much either. These presidential debates feel a lot like an ego-contest. I am more so voting for the person who’s going to get me better job opportunities and help me out with my taxes. Kamala keeps giving out $6,000 to new parents, $3,000 to small businesses, $25,000 to first-time homeowners, but where is that money coming from?

Peyton Bell: What do you think of people that might choose not to vote in this year’s election?

Yamo Abdullah: I think it’s important to vote because I think that everyone should exercise his or her right to help change the face of this country. Voting is the only way that we keep freedom. If you decide to sit out and not participate, you can’t wake up after Election Day and complain that you didn’t get your way.

Peyton Bell: What is an issue that you’re passionate about that you would love to see your future president take action on?

Yamo Abdullah: Definitely the war that is happening between Israel and Palestine. We still don’t have a ceasefire and now I’m reading that there are calls from settlers to say that they’re taking all the land of Gaza and now they’re going to deport 2.7 million Arabs out of the strip and they’re going to open a prison. It’s just upsetting. I just want a solution and action taken on the Muslim front. The United States did nothing when Muslims were persecuted in China and now they are doing nothing while Israelis are killing tens of thousands of Muslims in the Gaza strip.

Peyton Bell: What would you say to people who feel their vote does not matter as much in the grand scheme of things?

Yamo Abdullah: If your vote doesn’t matter to you, I feel like that is a contagious way of thinking. Many people think that one vote won’t make or break this election, but it’s not just you. There are so many people out there that feel the same, which makes their votes much more powerful. I think it’s very important that in society we encourage all our friends and family to vote. My whole family votes, and I drive my parents to the polling place.