Political Views -- Emily Wilburn

I come from a white, upper-middle class, military family.

I understand and am aware to as of how my views would vary had I come from a different family, culture, country, or just had not lived the life I currently have, but if I'm being honest, I 100% believe I would come back to the same very much Liberal conclusion and political stance, due to the fact that I am me and this just makes the most sense in my opinion.

My parents met in high school and immediately after graduating joined the Navy. I was born at Langley Air force Base in Hampton Virginia. At the time my mother was very conservative and my dad was one of the most democratic people you would probably ever meet. After moving back to Texas my mother left the Navy, my father was no longer active and moved into the Navy Reserves, and my parents got divorced. My mother then claimed a democratic political stance while my father did a full flip and became a big time republican. I still am not quite sure how this happened.

Both sides of my family have are very conservative. With the current election coming up with Cruz vs. Beto I was shocked to hear my great aunt  (on my mothers side) would be voting for Beto, when I asked her why, it was simply because of his last name, O’Rourke, which also just so happens to be my mothers maiden name.

I would argue that I have a high level of education, while I have only been in private school for a little over a year now, I was attending public schools that were considered to be ‘better,’ or have the best ratings. I feel that coming from public school has allowed me to interact with more people and understand people's situations more than someone who has been in private school all their life -- making me more open minded.

I am forever grateful for my family and to have been raised by them. I am blessed to have the privlages I do and that I sometimes take for granted. For example my mother deposists $100 wekly into my bank account to cover eating out, taking Ubers home, and whatever else I need that week. I know that I am privlaged and have the ability to eat three meals a day like some familys cant do, but I know how much my mother works, the sacrafices she makes, the white privlage that we have -- regardeless of where we are. I am aware of it all.

I think that religion has alot to do with what we belive. My father has always encouraged me to read the bible, go to church, and get baptized, while my mother taught me science. I am a strong believer in Humanism. Religion never made sense to me, the thought of putting my life and belifs in a book scared me. Even if I were belonging to a religion or had that ideology, there is absolutly no way I could see myslef basing my political standpoint off of my religeos practices -- but that is just me.

My sex has alot to do with my political views. If I had a fake ID the only use for it would to be able to vote in the next election, the reason for this is because reproductive rights are extreemly important to me, being a woman. It frusterates me to see men constantly voting on laws that literally have nothing to do with them, and have no effect on their bodies what so ever.