Exercise Your Right

I'm sure most of us have been in that position before. In an informal gathering of friends a discussion ensues on the state of the nation and what they'd like to see and what'd like to see changed in the current way things are done. Everyone has an opinion and the great thing about living in a democracy like America's is that everyone has the right to crib and complain because they have the power to do something about it. Unfortunately not everyone chooses to make use of that power. If you don't like something, vote for change. If you don't go out and vote even though you can, then don't complain because you didn't take the simplist step and try to make some change.

When I was in high school, just around the time of graduation, our teachers encouraged us to register to vote. I jumped at the chance wholeheartedly, not because I was a political fiend; quite the contrary in fact. I was more enthusiastic about taking part in the process more than in the notion that my one vote would make a difference in the course of the nation and therein is the problem. Most people think that one vote can't make that much of a difference. Now think of that problem being multiplied because if you're thinking it, there are likely a dozen or so others within a short distance of you thinking exactly the same thing and if this trend is spread out more and more, one begins to realize why there is such a difficult road for many candidates. They may be popular but if people aren't getting out and voting then what's the point?

I remember having a discussion with a group of friends once and someone again began complaining about how they wanted to see change and that things hadn't changed since the last elections or since candidate A for his district was still in power. He would have preferred candidate B. I asked if he was registered to vote and he responded that he was and when I asked if he had voted in the last election, he answered that he had not. I simply responded, "Then shut the Hell up." It might seem a bit harsh but it's true isn't it? If you can't take the time out of your day to go and vote, a process which can't take that long, then why on Earth are you going to complain? It seems that those who rarely, if ever, vote are the once who complain most vocifericiously are the ones who never go to the polls. When you have lots of people like that then it's no wonder that no one ever sees the change that they want.

As I previously stated, I'm of the impression that if you feel that there's no difference in the eventual outcome of an election depending on whether you vote or not then you'll end up not seeing what you want. To say that one vote doesn't make a difference is a fallacy that needs to change. If there is any proof of this fact, nothing is more apparent in the validity of this than the first election of President Bush. It was such a close election in Florida that it literally came down to ensuring that each and every candidate's earned vote was tallied. Opinions on the election aside, it's quite clear that in that election, your vote would have mattered. When you can see the difference your vote makes and you begin to realize that you are not just one among thousands of others, you will begin to realize just how important you really are to the process. So when election day rolls around in your neck of the woods, don't complain; get out there and vote.