Dear Non-Voters
Exercise your rights, people...
This is America... The land of the free and the home of the brave. I'll repeat that. The land of the FREE. No, that doesn't mean that we can engage in every and all types of hedonistic behavior or do as we please simply because it suits us. It means that as Americans, we have certain freedoms, or unalienable (look it up) rights that we are privy to, given our legal status (career criminals, you can stop reading here). One such right is that of voting. The American political system is built on a tenet of democracy. Loosely defined, a democracy is a form of government that derives its powers from the people, either directly or indirectly. Ours is an indirect democracy, in which we elect officials to positions in which they can adequately represent our views and desires on a wide scale. As a nation, every year we get a new chance to put people in office on Election Day, the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
Now, to the point at hand. Every year, around late September, political parties and campaigners bombard us with commercials, fliers and other garb for the purposes of us, the voters, placing their names or their causes on our ballots. And every year, we hear pundits tell us to vote. In 2008, the world watched as our nation elected Barack Obama, with a record turnout of voters and political activism. Now, all I ask is, where did all of that fervor go? Around the water coolers you hear people being a little shaky as to whether they will exercise their right to vote. People give reasons such as, but not limited to:
- 'I don't know about the issues.'
- 'I'm not registered.'
- 'I don't know the candidates.'
- 'I don't have time.'
- 'Does it really matter this year?'
- 'My vote doesn't make a difference.'
- 'I don't know where to vote.'
- 'It's Election Day?'
Come on, people. Not to be a political party pooper, but we've got to vote. It shouldn't be an afterthought. This sh*t matters!!! What goes on during these elections affects you, directly and indirectly. Your student loans, your legal status, your taxes, your benefits, that parking ticket you don't want to pay, your mom and dad's retirement status, EVERYTHING can be changed by voting. The thing that makes me upset about our country is how tenacious we are about politics in times of turmoil, yet how lackadaisical we are when it seems as if the dust has settled.
NEWSFLASH: We're still in a recession! Our country has no money and no jobs! Our environment is crumbling around us!You can't complain about our country's issues if you don't vote... Point blank. Midterm elections are just important as presidential elections, in that you're picking the people who surround the President. You're voting for candidates in Congress that would support issues important to you and probably be able to further those initiatives. Why would you put a beautiful candle on a cake made of manure? Why would you want to start a job and not finish it? No, I'm not a certified political pundit, but I know for damn sure that there is worth in a vote. And by not voting, you might as well not have the right. So, please, do yourself and the country a favor and exercise your right. In this information age, it's pretty easy to figure out what a candidate's all about. Rather than visit MTO, take some time out to know the issues, find a polling place and just vote! Seriously. People died for universal suffrage in this nation. Don't die thinking your vote could have changed something. Just pull the lever and be on your way...