I predict that half of the two people who read this will tune out by the end of the first paragraph. Tomorrow marks the unofficial official beginning to electing our next President of the United States. The Iowa Caucus will take place tomorrow, increasing hopes and dashing others who want to be the Commander-in-Chief. And I find myself caring to an ever-increasing degree.
(Now, to the one person left reading) I can honestly say there was a time in my life when I actively campaigned for people not to vote, that our system was broken and true representation wasn't possible, that (especially in Indiana) your vote didn't matter (especially Presidentially). And so I never voted. Yet, somewhere, somehow, my thinking began changing. I don't know how or why, but I'm sure it started slowly. A creeping conversion. And today I find myself moving across the spectrum of attitudes. I've voted in the last three possible elections, read up on political news and websites, even read a candidates book this winter.
Most people say that politics are so messed up: corrupt and just a game, detached from real life, boring, a waste of time, and most of all, completely dividing. And I'll agree to a certain degree on most of that. But, for some reason I've come to the point of setting a personal goal for myself this year, politically. My goal is this:
Get/Persuade/Cause/Lead 15 people to vote in the upcoming election who did not vote in the last election.
I think the reason is this: In my growing interest in politics, one thing has changed, not my perspective on the electoral college, or the political system, or the Washington goons - but instead my understanding of our my State, our Nation, our World. In listening to what positions candidates take, in listening to what issues are (and maybe more importantly what issues aren't) at the forefront, I've been able to do my own reading, my own postulating, growing of my own worldview.
I don't think anyone should vote or actively follow politics because it is necessarily fun or exciting or beneficial in a tangible way. I think people should vote (or actively follow politics) because it causes you to examine your own beliefs and understanding of the world. Issues like Fair Trade, Medicare, and Maternity Leave are issues that had only a technical meaning or understanding in my mind, but then I started read and attempting to understand these concepts/theories/themes through the perspective of someone who has to deal with them. The human drama of it makes it clear that something is at stake, even if it won't ever effect me.
And that is what Americans experience every day: an isolated life. At least here in middle-America, where people shop at Wal-Mart in order to "Spend Less. Live Better", meaning, spend less on peanut butter so we can afford to buy a $500 cell phone with games, photos, movies, and Wi-Fi capability (Lord save me if I can't Google or Wikipedia the name of the drummer from Def Leppard [I'm a hypocrite, I know]). I digress.
I'm stepping out and risking what I sense to be the prevalent pop-culture pride, that not caring about politics and never voting is cool. Sort of like being in class and not wanting to answer a question, because you don't want to be "that guy."
We are all in this world. We all play a part. Not all of us realize that. And I think that playing a part begins with understand where we are and where those playing along with us are starting from. For me, that means learning about the issues, the problems, and the people whether they are or aren't represented properly in a government thwarted by special interests, lobbyists, zealous causes, and party lines. My vote may not change the world, but learning about and understanding people and their lives, that just might change me. And I consider that to be well worth all the trouble.
So it begins. And tomorrow, good luck Barack.
(that's Obama hooping it up at the Des Moines YMCA)
02 January 2008
Screw It or Rock it? - A Creeping Conversion
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2 comments:
Good post Adam! I think it is a good goal to try to inspire people to vote and this post is a great step in that direction.
Here's a thought I had about voting while reading your blog: those who can be and are educated about the issues have a responsibility to vote in the interest of the greater good. I believe some people do not vote out of laziness or apathy (ack!) or whatnot. But there are those that do not vote because they are barely keeping their heads above the water financially, emotionally, or whatever -ly word. I think we should vote for those people - the little guy.
And for someone to say their vote doesn't count I'd like to point them to recent local history and give that a spin. Muncie's mayoral race was decided by the slimmest of margins (and even that I thought would not be overcome). In another town in ECI a man's wife came in to tell him that he lost by one vote - then she proceeded to tell him that she didn't vote!
More than anything I think it is our responsibility to vote, to be informed, not to bring Christianity to our political processes but to fight for justice and fairness and because it is the right thing to do. At least (I hope) no one is blowing up and assassinating our political candidates.
I never really understood the not voting thing. You can't expect to change anything if you don't ever speak up. Yes, Indiana's voice in presidential politics is generally ignored. By the time our primary rolls around candidates are decided, and Indiana consistently votes for the republican candidate in the general election. However, local politics are much more apt to be influenced by the individual voter, more targeted to the constituent's needs, and much easier to get involved in.
Indiana's lack of influence in the federal government would be less concerning if the federal government was restricted to what it is allowed to do by law.
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