VOTING  

I have to confess, I didn't vote until I was married, that was when I was...er....26/27?  I did not before mostly because I did not see the issues envolved as being my issues.  I mean, I was not concerned about the issues and felt there was little anyone could do about them anyway.  I was blinded, as most people are that don't vote, into thinking life was like a river that just kept rolling on and there was nothing I could do about it's course or character.

I was a selfish person thinking mostly of myself.  When I was married things changed.  I became concerned about my family, especially my children's future, and what I could do about the changes in our society that I both disagreed with and affected them.

I cannot remember the first president I voted for.  I remember the first president I conciously voted against and that was Bill Clinton.  I know I voted before him, but I just don't remember when.  I can tell you one thing I do remember.  I remember being ashamed because I had not done such a simple thing to change evil or policy in our country as the simple thing of voting.  As I stood in the box pushing the buttons I acually remember thinking that thought and wondering how my one vote might have changed the course of history before and how evil can take the upper hand by the use of such a simple thing.  Imagine the course of history if Hitler had not been voted into office?   How many lives might have been saved.  Now I wonder what evil things my children or grandchildren might not have suffered in the loss of their freedoms if I had voted.  I know you think I am dramatizing this but history has been changed by simple "one things" in the past people have been too oblivious or careless to change.

It is often said those who don't vote shouldn't complain.  It struck me how true this is.  This year at work a work mate was talking about how stupid everyone was who voted for candidates other than Obama.  He later confessed he doesn't vote at all!  Who is the stupid one?  I told him don't even talk to me about it because you are the last one I would consider to be an expert!

This year we are in a clearer position in views than perhaps ever in history.  We have two sides.  Those who want to take away American freedom by promising more vain promises to those who value their own safety and comfort, and those who want to restore American freedom even though it costs us pain, discomfort, and suffering personally.  This was the very choice our forefathers stood up for and against.  Our country was founded on the sacrifice of those who were not only willing to lose everything they had, but did in the belief that freedoms were more important than personal comfort and security.

In every government program created there is a little yielding of our rights as an individual.  The more programs created the more rights are removed from us as citizens.  If you use a government program, then you are a debtor to the government and recognize it's rule over you as an individual.  You say to the government, take care of me and I will serve you.  That is not the way our government was set up.  Our government was set up to serve us as Americans.

I hope you will see the need to vote.  Perhaps it is too late for our govenment to conform to the Constitution again.  Perhaps our Constitution now only exists as a piece of paper only and not the Ideals it represented.  In any case, things won't change for the good unless we vote.


Here's a link to Men's Monday Meme, "Families Again,"