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Ron Jackson's Perspective
The Sunday Journal -
Think
Kankakee, Illinois
November 5, 2006
Why you also have
the right to
not cast your ballot |
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It was bound to
happen. Write about choice and you're sure to get a lashing if you
make the wrong choice. I was taken to task by a reader for writing
the piece on casual voting and was given a history lesson. I was
also accused of setting a bad example and encouraging others to do
likewise.
For clarification, I admitted I was a part of that 20 percent,
who do not vote in every election. Negative campaigning can do that
to a person. Intermittent voters like me are sort of like that one
dentist in five who didn't recommend Crest toothpaste.
Part of the lesson I received from this disgruntled reader was
that our forefathers who established our voting process would be
very “disappointed and shocked at my unpatriotic, negative,
demoralizing theory,” and that “some people need leadership and
encouragement to vote. God knows our country needs intelligent
people with the ability to make choices.”
Point taken. The early architects of our government and
political process did establish a pretty good foundation. In order
to maintain an ample number of voters and officeholders, they did
not make intelligence a requirement to vote or hold office, but they
were far from flawless. They threw in that part about “all men
being created equal” which confuses many people into believing all
men are born equal.
As with most lessons, especially history lessons, they are
usually one sided. Yes, our forefathers in all their wisdom would
probably be a little disappointed in me for my cavalier approach to
voting. Hopefully, they would understand how easy it is to become
disenchanted with all the negative advertising.
While on the topic of our forefathers, I am more than a little
disappointed in them for excluding women, the poor, Indians, and
non-white men from the voting.
The part about people needing leadership and encouragement to
vote and making intelligent choices threw me for a loop. I am not
sure what type of leadership is needed to vote. Influence us, lie
to us, make promises, and give us options. That is not leadership.
When we are limited in choices, it doesn't require intelligence.
That is not to say we shouldn't be as informed as much as possible
about the issues.
If my new history teacher was implying that by having someone
tell me how and why I should vote for his or her choice is
leadership, I will continue to wander aimlessly through the
political forest. Just the other day I was presented with that type
of encouragement. A fervent worker was handing out literature, a
partisan pamphlet with a list of all the candidates of one party.
Looking over the material, I had already determined that at least
one of the candidates wasn't worthy of my vote and wondered how the
party could be promoting such a candidate. The worker darted off to
the next house before I could ask how his party could support and
promote such a pathetic candidate. The old adage “birds of a feather
flock together” came to mind.
I realize that when it comes to politics, it’s about the
party. If you vote that way, you must take the whole bushel with
the few bad ones included. That is the part about voting that has
helped to develop my apathetic attitude. Voting for and along a
party line benefits only the party. It does not necessarily benefit
America. Should the Democrats resume control of Congress, will that
make us a better government? I doubt that. Our Congress is like
the Chicago Cubs uniform. It doesn't matter who you put in it, the
results will still be the same.
I do value and understand the privilege of voting, and I also
realize most people vote along popularity lines, not intelligently.
Similar to the most effective words are the ones not spoken,
sometimes the most intelligent vote is the one not cast. However, I
also take my right very seriously. It is my right not to vote when
I am not enthused about the choices just as much as it is another
voter’s right to vote.
Tuesday, November 7, is Election Day. I hope that everyone who
meets the age, residency and citizenship requirements and is
registered will exercise his or her right. Of course that means
some won't vote because that is also their right. That does not
make them any less an American, less a patriot, less a decent human,
or less a student of history, and it certainly doesn't make them
ignorant. |
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