Why is it that we have so many people complaining about oppression, mistreatment, and corruption in government, yet we neglect to even do the most basic possible thing to fix the problem: VOTE. In this country, the people who have the greatest needs, and the least direct infleunce(this group includes the lower class, minorities and young people) are the ones with the lowest voting rates. Apathy is pervasive throughout these communities. How can you complain about the system, when it is your actions(or in this case, lack of actions) that put the current system in place.
In other countries today, and within our own country in the past, people had to fight for the right to vote. There are people who risk their lives just to have a say in the government. Revolutions are rarely blood free. Even today people in other countries who stand up to politicaicians, or go out to vote run the risk of being blown up, blackballed or imprisoned. Whereas here in America, where voting is only a slight inconvenience that takes up about 2 hours of your time once every 2 years, we have voting rates of about 60%(under 40% in midterms). The main excuses we have for not voting are: "I had to work" or "I didn't have enough time", which are completely pathetic excuses.
In 2004 I voted democratic, so I feel that I have a right to complain about the current administration. However the 50+ million people who chose not to vote have no right to complain about the decrepid state of our political system or their mistreatment by the government.
Another complaint of both those who vote and those who don't is that the political system is corrupt, and our votes dont really matter. To an extent these concerns are true, today choosing to support one politician over another is like choosing between a kick in the balls or a punch in the stomach. But if we could get that other 40% of the eligable population to vote, and institute things like "clean elections", then we would be much more capable of putting genuine people into office. Because these more progressive candidates would have more individual support they could get elected without having to be corrupt(which is pretty much a requirement to advance in politics today). If the public continues to exert their influence on politicians, reform the way campaigns are conducted, and eliminate manipulative tactics such as gerrymandering, then gradually our system will improve. These changes will only occur if people will just get off their asses, and not only vote, but also become more organized in our efforts, be well informed, and stay active in politics. As we continue to do these things, our choices will continue to improve. And we will no longer have to choose between a kick in the balls and a punch in the stomach, instead, we will have to make the difficult choice between a blowjob or a massage. And when that day comes, I'll walk right up to the voting booth, smile, and say "I'll take both please".
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Young people have some of the lowest voter turn-out rates of all demographics. C'mon, guys! You can even mail it in, in some states.
Step up and vote!
How can we agressively endorse democracy in foreign countries, and not participate in it at home???
Allison Parker
"Be the change you want to see in the world" ~Mahatma Gandhi