VOTE or die???

I voted today!  Actually, I have been voting since I turned eighteen.  I have always been faithful to exercise my civic duty.   This is one of the rights that we, as Americans, often take for granted.  We don’t know how good we’ve got it because we’ve always have had it.  I am grateful that this election has spurred many new voters to register but it is not enough to just register.  You have to go out there to the polling stations and cast your vote.  I know as college students there are parties to go to, homework to do, girls or boys to do, or in general life getting the best of us.  I am grateful that Barak Obama has caused all this renewed interest in this special civic duty.  No, I am not voting for Obama.  I guess, I have just exposed my vote. I don’t care.  I vote and unashamed.  I have not always thought of myself as Republican or Democrat not even that ambiguous, often abused term of “Independent.”

 

What the hell does that mean anyway?  Independent.  Obviously, the majority of Americans are neither Radically Repressed Republican nor Demented Disillusioned Democrat.  Everyone lies on a continuum of thought and are neither nor the extreme.

But, no one truly falls to the center of that continuum.  To truly fall on the center of that continuum would mean one would agree with all the ideas and arguments of both sides.  One cannot be “Pro-life” and at same time be a member of the National Organization for Women.  One cannot possibly be for cutting taxes at the same time increasing social programs that are going to cost you and me billions if not trillions of dollars – how do you expect to pay for the programs while simultaneously cutting their budget?  And, one cannot be gay and be anti-gay marriage.  Who knows, there could be a one in 300 million chance that such a person exists. 

 

Early on, I leaned rather heavily to the right of this continuum.  Which, I understand is some kind of an anomaly.  For one, I grew up in Hawaii – a rather heavily left leaning state.  Secondly, I am from a minority ethnic group – which Democrats feel they have dominion over.  Lastly, I am currently a student – supposedly a group that should vote Democrat.  Am I, then a registered, card carrying, rabid as a dog REPUBLICAN?  No.  I just happen to vote and agree with a lot candidates who happen to be republicans and I just happened to be a person who always did the opposite of what I was expected of me.  Have I ever voted for a Democrat?  Absolutely! 

 

I am not here to tell you who to vote for – just to encourage you to do so, if you haven’t already.  I know it is just the primaries (early and absentee voting at that) and not the general election yet.  Still, it is an integral part of the process.  The last thing I am going to tell you is when you vote – please choose wisely and with your convictions.  One should always vote for the candidate that aligns mostly with your convictions.  Not only because the candidate is from Hawaii.