Voice your vote
By: Emily Barksdale
Issue date: 9/26/08 Section: Opinions
I commend the College Democrats, Delta Sigma Theta and Omega Psi Phi for conducting voter registration drives in this frenzied time of back to school, Family Weekend and a flurry of political activity. These organizatrions are recognizing exactly what our Founding Fathers wanted them to - that the democratic right to vote is one of the most quintessential rights that a human being may possess.
The United States was founded some two hundred years ago on the grounds of freedom - freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition, to name those in the First Amendment. A vitally important right that is not listed there is the right to vote, which came, for some, as much as 150 years later. We need to appreciate this right because, if no other reason, so many millions have dedicated their lives to securing it for us. Think of it as a long-overdue thank you card.
Granted, we are part of a representative democracy, which means that we do not directly elect our president, but that is another issue for another day. We do directly elect many other officials, and we do elect those who elect our president, so our act of voting is indeed important.
Our Framers were giving us the benefit of the doubt in assuming that we would not only be grateful for, but also exercise our right to vote. If everyone's voice is not heard, then how can our officials portray an accurate representation of their constituents? If you have a problem with a current policy - local, statewide or national - then it is up to you to change it.
Technically, you could be the one person keeping the representative who created or voted for that policy in office.
So participate in registration drives. Go through the minimal paperwork and communication required to receive an absentee ballot. Don't miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime because you are absentminded or lazy. Speak for those around you and around the world who can only dream to have as much power as you do.
The United States was founded some two hundred years ago on the grounds of freedom - freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition, to name those in the First Amendment. A vitally important right that is not listed there is the right to vote, which came, for some, as much as 150 years later. We need to appreciate this right because, if no other reason, so many millions have dedicated their lives to securing it for us. Think of it as a long-overdue thank you card.
Granted, we are part of a representative democracy, which means that we do not directly elect our president, but that is another issue for another day. We do directly elect many other officials, and we do elect those who elect our president, so our act of voting is indeed important.
Our Framers were giving us the benefit of the doubt in assuming that we would not only be grateful for, but also exercise our right to vote. If everyone's voice is not heard, then how can our officials portray an accurate representation of their constituents? If you have a problem with a current policy - local, statewide or national - then it is up to you to change it.
Technically, you could be the one person keeping the representative who created or voted for that policy in office.
So participate in registration drives. Go through the minimal paperwork and communication required to receive an absentee ballot. Don't miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime because you are absentminded or lazy. Speak for those around you and around the world who can only dream to have as much power as you do.