On voting
For the first time since being registered at 18, I didn't vote today. I just didn't get to the polls before they closed. And I'm REALLY annoyed with myself, but it's water under the bridge, and I'm not going to beat myself up about it.
So now the news is on and they're doing the post-election day wrap-up. No real surprises, but they interviewed an African-American man who talked about voting being a "privilege". Because, there was a time when Black people weren't allowed to vote. (don'tcha know.)
It's not a statement I agree with. Driving is a privilege. You demonstrate knowledge and skill, and society trusts you to do right. If you fuck up enough, you lose that privilege.
I'm lucky to live in a democratic country, I'm proud to vote, and I enjoy all the freedoms that living in such a society affords me. Freedoms that people who once looked like me in this country did NOT enjoy. But the ability to participate in this Democratic system - it's a RIGHT. A right that was denied because the people in power thought they knew better, that they WERE better than those who weren't.
To put a very fine point on it - to deny people their rights, is wrong. To have rights afforded to one group of people and deny it to another, simply based on their identity is wrong. It's bigotry, and it's wrong.
I didn't vote, so I can't complain - but I'll sure as hell vote in November. I am NOT interested in seeing this state be bought.
So now the news is on and they're doing the post-election day wrap-up. No real surprises, but they interviewed an African-American man who talked about voting being a "privilege". Because, there was a time when Black people weren't allowed to vote. (don'tcha know.)
It's not a statement I agree with. Driving is a privilege. You demonstrate knowledge and skill, and society trusts you to do right. If you fuck up enough, you lose that privilege.
I'm lucky to live in a democratic country, I'm proud to vote, and I enjoy all the freedoms that living in such a society affords me. Freedoms that people who once looked like me in this country did NOT enjoy. But the ability to participate in this Democratic system - it's a RIGHT. A right that was denied because the people in power thought they knew better, that they WERE better than those who weren't.
To put a very fine point on it - to deny people their rights, is wrong. To have rights afforded to one group of people and deny it to another, simply based on their identity is wrong. It's bigotry, and it's wrong.
I didn't vote, so I can't complain - but I'll sure as hell vote in November. I am NOT interested in seeing this state be bought.