It is the year 2000, during the presidential elections. Al Gore versus George W. Bush. An American, maybe a friend or a loved one? Maybe yourself? Guaranteed the right to vote, the right to choose who will lead this great nation pulls the voting lever, punching down and choosing the choice of presidential candidate Al Gore. Time goes by and after much recount and disarray the nation waits. They wait in suspense as voting machines malfunction, absentee ballads are miraculously found at the last minute even the dead are reported voting. But, despite it all, the final tally comes in, George W. Bush 50,456,002 and Al Gore 50,999,897 (Popular vote winner, aka. more people voted for him). Bush Wins? The American who stepped into the voting booth and pulled the lever to select Al Gore, what difference did he make voting? What’s the difference if you vote or not?
I can not stress to you enough how important it is to vote. Now, don't get me wrong, I think our voting system is a total crock. It doesn't properly represent the American people. Our country is founded on free choice and the right to vote yada yada yada, but when more people vote for a candidate and he/she doesn't win, something is sincerly fucked up there and that is undeniable. Despite many American's disagreements and misunderstandings toward this voting system it simply isn't a reason to not vote. In fact not voting because of that reason is irresponsible and flat out stupid.
I'm going to tell you why you should vote, because it's more than just voting for some stupid idiot in some office somewhere or passing a random bill about god know's what. It's about a having that freedom to make that vote and if you give up that freedom which so many of us so callously decide to do, your subjecting yourself to losing other things, like your rights and your freedoms and to be specific we could loose even the right to vote. How would you feel about that?
It's a package deal folks. We don't get to pick and choose at what is right for some people and what is wrong for others. It's like in comedy these days. Everything has to be okay to be made fun of or nothing can be. Where am I going with that you might be wondering? Well if people choose not to vote, well, that's fine, irresponsible, but their choice, of course you have to ask, if that person didn't exercise their responsibility to vote? Then why does that person get the right to complain about our government or what is going on in this country? Why does that person get those freedoms to speak out (free speech) Why does that person get the right to assemble or any first amendmant rights? While I'm at it, why does that person get any consitutional rights at all?
As Americans we have rights. These rights are also our responsibilities. We wouldn’t give up the right to freedom of speech or the press so we absolutely can not give up our right, our responsibility to vote. Without a vote you don't get a voice and that's that.
