I hate talking about politics to anyone. I hate the heated discussions and disagreements. I hate when someone agrees with me but does it in an angry, loud way. I hate when I don’t agree with you and there’s an awkwardness between us. I hate the mudslinging and length of campaigns. I hate the narrowminded who do or do not vote for someone based solely on one or more of the following: age, gender, race, religion, stature, fashion, etc.
But what I really hate is when someone doesn’t vote.
There are few acceptable excuses for not voting. I had a baby the day before the election in November 2006. The doctor wouldn’t let me go vote. If it had been a presidential election, I would have missed out on voting for the president, something I haven’t missed since 1992. What I should have done back then was vote by absentee ballot since I knew my due date was so close to an election. I had no one to blame but myself. Even having a baby isn’t an excuse not to vote.
As I lay in the hospital not voting, all I could think about was all the women who fought for ME to have the right to vote. Women in this country have had the right to vote only since 1920. Before that, women were JAILED for simply picketing the White House asking for the right to vote. Their crime? Obstructing sidewalk traffic! I also thought of the servicemen and women (past, present and future) who died or were hurt, spent years away from family, and who had to see and do things I’d rather not know about, all so I can vote.
Some won’t bother to vote tomorrow because they have to work and pick up the kids from school and get the oil changed. Find the time! Others won’t vote because the weather is too hot/cold/rainy/snowy/sunny. Get an umbrella! Still others won’t vote because they never registered since they moved to a new area or because they don’t know where their polling place is! What?! Did the election sneak up on you?! They’ve only been campaigning since January of 2007 – almost 2 years ago! Fine – then register TODAY so you can vote next time. Voting is a privilege, not an inconvenience.
Vote to cancel out someone else’s vote. Vote because someone else will and you may not agree with them. Vote because every vote counts. Vote to shut me up!
VOTE!
But what I really hate is when someone doesn’t vote.
There are few acceptable excuses for not voting. I had a baby the day before the election in November 2006. The doctor wouldn’t let me go vote. If it had been a presidential election, I would have missed out on voting for the president, something I haven’t missed since 1992. What I should have done back then was vote by absentee ballot since I knew my due date was so close to an election. I had no one to blame but myself. Even having a baby isn’t an excuse not to vote.
As I lay in the hospital not voting, all I could think about was all the women who fought for ME to have the right to vote. Women in this country have had the right to vote only since 1920. Before that, women were JAILED for simply picketing the White House asking for the right to vote. Their crime? Obstructing sidewalk traffic! I also thought of the servicemen and women (past, present and future) who died or were hurt, spent years away from family, and who had to see and do things I’d rather not know about, all so I can vote.
Some won’t bother to vote tomorrow because they have to work and pick up the kids from school and get the oil changed. Find the time! Others won’t vote because the weather is too hot/cold/rainy/snowy/sunny. Get an umbrella! Still others won’t vote because they never registered since they moved to a new area or because they don’t know where their polling place is! What?! Did the election sneak up on you?! They’ve only been campaigning since January of 2007 – almost 2 years ago! Fine – then register TODAY so you can vote next time. Voting is a privilege, not an inconvenience.
Vote to cancel out someone else’s vote. Vote because someone else will and you may not agree with them. Vote because every vote counts. Vote to shut me up!
VOTE!
2 comments:
YES! i could not agree with you more!
Thanks for the encouragement to perform a priveledge tomorrow...
Great Post!!
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