Do you vote? Oregon recently had its Primary Elections and of course we all knew the outcome before the election: Romney Vs Obama, but there were other issues on the ballet, always money issues, State Senate, and local government. We had a whopping 38% voter turnout! This is in a State where you can be legally drunk and vote at the same time, or vote totally naked (as I often do!) if you so choose. We have a mail in ballet and you have two weeks to vote at your leisure. No crowds, no long lines, you don't even have to get out of bed.
I find it kind of ironic. American Flags are so common on the windows of our trucks and cars. We get teary eyed at the sound of our National Anthem and easily talk about the pride of being an American, yet we don't even bother to vote! We will send a couple hundred thousand young soldiers half way across the world to a god forsaken land to fight and be killed to establish this right to vote in some far away land, costing us over a Trillion Dollars, yet we won't put a stamp on an envelop and vote ourselves.
Civics is not taught anymore in our schools. We barely teach History anymore and we stopped teaching Geography years ago. We don't even know where these countries are! This is the modern digital, computer age and we know less than we ever did. The really bad part is that we care even less. What happens in the real world is that if you do not care then someone else will for you.
I am not naive enough to believe that the Arab Spring or what is happening in the Middle East is about Democracy. No one is protesting for the right to read the likes of Thomas Jefferson or John Stuart Mill, no one is studying the French Revolution or our own fight for independence. It is mainly a battle for a piece of the pie,
whatever country, it is always about the 99% Vs the 1% and who controls what.
Voting is just an easier way to achieve what one desires in a government or in a society. Well, it is less bloody anyway, not always easier. I sometimes wonder, when I see a hundred thousand or so protesting, or maybe even more sitting at home and complaining about the protesters, how many of these people are voting?
What is it to "be an American" anyway? I used to think that it was the right to be left alone, having no fear of a knock on the door in the middle of the night, or of being spied upon and your mail opened, or of being locked away with no just cause, but we gave all that up with the Patriat Act. Did you even know that?
I like to think that we could be a shining example to the world but am always stuck on that concept of getting your own house in order before you clean up someone else's. 38% voter turn out is not exactly something to be proud of, in fact, it is something to be fearful of. Only 38% of the people are determining what will happen to me, what will happen to our country. In some countries they have Revolutions for the right to vote, in our country, apparently, voting is not worth the price of a postage stamp. Sad...
I find it kind of ironic. American Flags are so common on the windows of our trucks and cars. We get teary eyed at the sound of our National Anthem and easily talk about the pride of being an American, yet we don't even bother to vote! We will send a couple hundred thousand young soldiers half way across the world to a god forsaken land to fight and be killed to establish this right to vote in some far away land, costing us over a Trillion Dollars, yet we won't put a stamp on an envelop and vote ourselves.
Civics is not taught anymore in our schools. We barely teach History anymore and we stopped teaching Geography years ago. We don't even know where these countries are! This is the modern digital, computer age and we know less than we ever did. The really bad part is that we care even less. What happens in the real world is that if you do not care then someone else will for you.
I am not naive enough to believe that the Arab Spring or what is happening in the Middle East is about Democracy. No one is protesting for the right to read the likes of Thomas Jefferson or John Stuart Mill, no one is studying the French Revolution or our own fight for independence. It is mainly a battle for a piece of the pie,
whatever country, it is always about the 99% Vs the 1% and who controls what.
Voting is just an easier way to achieve what one desires in a government or in a society. Well, it is less bloody anyway, not always easier. I sometimes wonder, when I see a hundred thousand or so protesting, or maybe even more sitting at home and complaining about the protesters, how many of these people are voting?
What is it to "be an American" anyway? I used to think that it was the right to be left alone, having no fear of a knock on the door in the middle of the night, or of being spied upon and your mail opened, or of being locked away with no just cause, but we gave all that up with the Patriat Act. Did you even know that?
I like to think that we could be a shining example to the world but am always stuck on that concept of getting your own house in order before you clean up someone else's. 38% voter turn out is not exactly something to be proud of, in fact, it is something to be fearful of. Only 38% of the people are determining what will happen to me, what will happen to our country. In some countries they have Revolutions for the right to vote, in our country, apparently, voting is not worth the price of a postage stamp. Sad...
4 comments:
Yes, It is sad... and the very people who complain and moan are sitting on their backsides..
Me? I vote everytime, always have , always will..I want my 2 cents in there so I can at least say I tried..
People today especially the younger 'me' generation are too busy looking at their Ipads, Pods, texting ,and putting crap about themselves on the Facebook..
When asked who Joe Biden is they don't even know he's the vice-pres. let alone further down the line..
How sad.. ask a 25 year old something about history even in the past 50 years ... DUH! Blank stare.
It's all about political correctness, what you can and cannot say, and who's going to sue you for putting out the American flag.. I find it so disturbing that at my age I almost want to say the hell with it, let them have it.. but I grew up saluting the flag every morning in school with my hand on my heart, I still do and always will .. I am used to saying 'In God We Trust' I still do and always will.
Am I upset .... 'You betcha'
BJ
Barbra, you are awake this morning and TALKING!!! I couldn't agree with you more! A voting American who cares!
When I turned 18..I registered to vote and then voted, always with my Dad. We would walk a few blocks away to the little wooden polling buildings. He never told me who he voted for or asked me who I voted for. But we were doing what we should, what he fought for on Iwo Jima as a Marine for. I was proud to vote and can honestly say I have only missed one local election, because I was out of town in 41 years. I made sure my sons were registered to vote and I nagged them to no end to vote. But sometimes they feel as if their vote means nothing. This year they are excited to get out and vote and are getting their friends to vote too.
Yes, I vote. As you once said, Jer, your vote would cancel mine. We must doing something right or so many wouldn't want to come here, legally or illegally, instead of staying put and working to make their own country more of what they want.
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