I Did, Did You?

Well, I think I've discovered one of the reasons why we grow old and die.

They, who ever they are, say change is good, but to me that is not true of everything.

I look around at the way people have forgotten what Americans fought and died for and have forgotten to teach their children those same things.

But I am old, progress and time is passing me by and soon my ideals will just be remembered in a eulogy somewhere.

My parents and the school I attended stressed the importance for every American to take the time to vote and why.

Yesterday was my day to get out and vote and I did that.

While at the poll I asked the poll workers sitting around with nothing to do if there was a big turn out of people casting their vote.

After they stared at me as if I was from outer space or Area 51 they all broke out in laughter and said, "You have to be kidding right?"

When the polls opened on Election Day, every citizen over the age of 18 was able to cast a vote.

It is a right we take for granted, one that defines our nation as a democracy.

At the founding of our nation, only rich, white, land-owning men over the age of twenty-one could vote. Later, it was any white man over twenty-one.

Following the Civil War, the Fifteenth Amendment gave the right to vote to African American men.

Next, in 1920, women's suffrage finally paid off with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment.

Finally, in 1970 the voting age was lowered to 18 due to the counter-cultural movements of the 1960's.

Sadly when I turned 18 I was not allowed to vote, I had to be 21.

One of the most critical ways that individuals can influence governmental decision-making is through voting.

Voting is a formal expression of preference for a candidate for office or for a proposed resolution of an issue.

Voting generally takes place in the context of a large-scale national or regional election, however, local and small-scale community elections can be just as critical to individual participation in government.

Yesterday the voting was local and small-scale community elections which had less than 15% of the eligible voters casting ballots.

Hard to understand but our upcoming national election will only draw about 25 to 30% of the eligible voters to the polls.

It's easy to say, "Well why vote? My vote doesn't count anyway," which may or may not be true, but the fact remains it is your right and you should exercise that right.

In this country it seems to me excuses for not doing something have become the norm rather than the exception.

But then again, what do I know? I'm one of those old people that have lost touch.


DID YOU?