VOTE!
“Bad politicians are sent to Washington by good people who don’t vote.” – William E. Simon
“The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.” – Lyndon B. Johnson
My grandmother grew up during the Jim Crow days in Louisiana, back when Black people had to pass a math test in order to vote. My grandfather grew up in South Carolina where poll taxes were imposed upon Blacks.
The Civil Rights Movement put an official end to Jim Crow Laws that prevented Black people from voting… yet still, there are millions of Black people that are not registered to vote. Why is that?
Do people just take voting for granted?
Contrary to what many think, it wasn’t that long ago that voting was a white male privilege. Blacks folks couldn’t vote! Women couldn’t vote. People died for the right to vote, people marched, got hosed down, attacked by dogs, endured beatings, and made many sacrifices. To snub voting is unacceptable.
This election is probably the most important election of our life time. We cannot afford for anyone to not vote based on unproven theories or hood fables! Every vote counts. If you are unhappy with the current direction our country is taking, you must vote.
You cannot complain or voice concerns about the economy or politics in general if you refuse to participate in the process.
If you are already registered to vote, encourage others to register to vote. We live in a democracy…. but it only works if we all actually participate by voting.
1. government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.
2. a state having such a form of government: The United States and Canada are democracies.
3. a state of society characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges.
4. political or social equality; democratic spirit.
5. the common people of a community as distinguished from any privileged class; the common people with respect to their political power.
What Are the Qualifications to Vote?
You must be a citizen of the United States by birth or naturalization.
You must be eighteen years of age or older on the date of the next ensuing election.
There is some confusion as to if convicted felons can vote….It depends on the state, but in many cases, such as in California, if you are off parole you can vote.
Many believe that their vote does not or will not count, especially after the 2000 election. VOTE ANYWAY!
Voting is your right and your civic duty. Do It!
“History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.” – David C. McCullough
“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” – Maya Angelou
“A man without history is like a tree without roots.” – Marcus Garvey
“Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” – George Santayana
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18 Responses to “Your Vote Counts!”
Living Life Abundantly Adventures
Thanks for the article and stories of your family. I really think we need to do a better job introducing kids to the political process alot sooner than we do. The govt seems so big and there are people that probably just believe their vote won’t mean or change a thing.
Marenda,
A great post on making sure that people take part in this democratic process.In this post, I have learned something about America’s political history.Before this post, I did not know that black people had to take a Maths test in order to establish whether they should vote or not.America has really come from very far.
It’s time to vote more than ever. We have to get out of this 8 years of nightmare. I can’t wait to have a new president to finally hunt terrorists and not only going to war elsewhere for nothing…
Agree. If anything, it has taught us how to vote responsively, and how each and every vote counts. Voting is the only way we can control our fate and also that of the nation!
It’s ridiculous that one race had to take a math test in order to vote. If they were going to require a math test, then they should have required it of EVERYBODY. The times your grandmother lived in were heartwrenching for some people.
"It's ridiculous that one race had to take a math test in order to vote. "
I am one with you on this, Angela. When will people stop being racists!
Ya bırakın bu işleri Yahu !
I was discussing this same issue with an acquaintance. She blathered on about how her vote doesn’t matter and how none of the candidates represented her views and declared she wouldn’t vote. I talked about how voting was a hard won right that cost blood and beatings for our great grandmothers. She huffed and said “I don’t owe them anything. That was forever ago.” I lost all respect for her.
My favorite history teacher use to say “The past is not dead. It is not even the past.” A valuable lesson. Waste your right to vote and you will find it taken from you.
This is just black people, but women as well. Yes, we do take it for granted. If people only knew what those just 1 to 2 generations ago went thru to give us this right, they’d get out and VOTE, regardless is who it is for. Sadly, I just see a lot of apathy.
Ack. Sorry, that was meant to say NOT just black people, but women too.
I think this generation doesn't appreciate the rights and privileges it enjoys because they didn't fight to get them. Like a spoiled child, they've just had it handed to them.
That is a heartwrenching article. Kids these days just don't understand the trials previous generations endured in order to get the freedoms and equality that we enjoy and take for granted today.
Linda
Thanks for this article, and the amazing stories of your family. I agree that the current older generation has failed to emphasize the importance of being involved in the political process to younger generations. The fortunate thing is that we haven't crossed a line where it's too late, and it seems as though people are starting to recognize that.
I do learn something about America's political history.Before this post, I did not know that black people had to take a Maths test in order to establish whether they should vote or not.America has really come from very far. But i think its false.
I only have 2 words : ridiculous & unacceptable
Democracy can not work if the views of the public arent considered by the people in power. If people's apathy keeps them out of the voting booth, we are doomed.
A person with forward thinking like that of Obama's could have been elected years ago, if people would get out and vote.
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I like the William E. Simon's quote above about voting
They should give an I.Q. test requirement to vote. Election day would be a lot less crowded.