Participation

The voting population in the United States is dwindling with every year that passes.  Not the population of people who can vote, but those who choose to vote.  This is a sad fact, considering how much fighting there has been in the past over the right to vote.

Since arriving on campus, I have had numerous conversations with kids about who they support in the next presidential election.  Those of them who haven't just completely blown me off have told me some very surprising things in some cases, and have given legitimate reasons for why they would vote the way that they would, and why they believe the way that they do.  Then they get to the part where they would actually have to vote for someone, and they go silent.  They don't want to actually show up on election day and go to the polls to vote for someone that they believe in.

This is a growing problem in the United States.  It's scary because this has been a part of our culture for so long, and we are starting to lose it rapidly.  If we don't vote, then the people who we truly support won't get elected, and then the people won't be accurately represented, which is the point of the government that the Founding Fathers instituted.  This democratic republic that we live in depends on the participation of it's voting populations to go out and to voice their opinions not just through the picket signs and the protests, but also through the polling booths.  People can sit online and read through the news all day long and try to discern the truth from the lies, but if they don't go and vote for who they truly believe to be the best candidate for them at the end of the day, then what was all that research for?

Protesting and writing letters to Congress is something that is important if you want to be politically involved in this country, but voting is a huge part of that involvement as well.  Some may say that your vote doesn't count that much, and that may be the case.  However, my view on the matter is that if you didn't vote at all but had the chance to, and you don't like the way that the country is being run at the moment, then you have no room to complain.

So please, if you are reading this and you are 18 years of age or older, please go and vote this November, and make sure that your voice is heard.