voting! and stuff!
Early voting starts today in Texas!! I probably will not be voting until later in the week because I want to avoid the crowds, but I am SO EXCITED OMG. VOTING!!!
So I feel the need to talk about my frustration with people I know, with liberal, sane people that I know, who don't seem to think that GLBT rights is an important, if not one of the MOST important issues in this election. I had someone tell me that the only reason they'd vote for Obama over McCain was a) Palin and b) that Obama seems to think about things. And I was like, seriously? Those are the only differences that matter to you?? Not, you know, GAY RIGHTS? This, from someone who believes in legalizing gay marriage. I was pissed. I'm still pissed off.
And then she said that, well, she hadn't really looked at the issues because she missed the voter registration date here in Texas, which was October 10, I believe. And okay, on the one hand, I get it. We live in Texas. It's hard to be a liberal or a democrat in Texas and feel like you have a voice or that your vote matters. But honestly, if you have the motivation to go to 938252 concerts over the summer, you should be able to take two minutes to fill out a form registering yourself to vote in this very important election! Even if you think your vote doesn't matter, sometimes the point of the political system is to participate in the democratic process and to demonstrate you have even a small, superficial say in the direction our country gets led in for the next 4-8 years. And that's not even mentioning local elections and ballot propositions.
Apathy is never an excuse, you guys. I don't care if you're only 18 and you're not sure how this whole voting thing works. It's called Google. I know you know how to use it. Look up the candidates, look up their stances on the issues. Watch their stump speeches on YouTube and figure out who you think is the better choice. Think about who you want nominating Supreme Court Justices and representing the United States to the world. And then look up how to register to vote. Spend twenty minutes thinking about the bigger picture because it will effect a lot more than just one day in November when you feel like your actions were futile because your state went the other way. George W. Bush's election (I use that term loosely) changed history. Two wars, an economic crisis, and a major recession later, we're still standing but we need an electorate who are willing to use their BRAINS.
So no. The fact that you were too apathetic to register to vote isn't an excuse to me, and frankly, it disgusts me. There are people in other nations dying, literally, for the right to vote, and Americans are like, "Oh, I meant to do it, but then I started watching 'Who Wants to Be America's Next Top Asshole' and I forgot."
To the person I had the argument with: I'm not sorry that I came down on you, because honestly, this sort of thing is exactly why I sometimes hate being an American.
And this elections is going to be close. The polls may not seem like it now, but I know Ohio and I know the rampant racism there. If you think McCain isn't going to spend the next two weeks attacking and lying about Obama and eschewing all policy talk in favor of Rovian scare tactics, you're not paying attention.
And that's the bottom line, isn't it? People are NOT PAYING ATTENTION. I love Britney, but if you can take 4 minutes out of your day to watch her new video, or if you can spend 15 minutes voting for Lance on DwtS, you can educate yourself and take your part in the responsibility for the fate of the nation, and be a citizen and VOTE.
Yes, I am angry. This makes me angry. And I am maybe not being as diplomatic about it as I should be and I am probably making people feel bad, but also? I think you should feel bad. You dropped the ball, so fuck you. Ignorance and apathy are not an excuse, they are just disgusting.
So I feel the need to talk about my frustration with people I know, with liberal, sane people that I know, who don't seem to think that GLBT rights is an important, if not one of the MOST important issues in this election. I had someone tell me that the only reason they'd vote for Obama over McCain was a) Palin and b) that Obama seems to think about things. And I was like, seriously? Those are the only differences that matter to you?? Not, you know, GAY RIGHTS? This, from someone who believes in legalizing gay marriage. I was pissed. I'm still pissed off.
And then she said that, well, she hadn't really looked at the issues because she missed the voter registration date here in Texas, which was October 10, I believe. And okay, on the one hand, I get it. We live in Texas. It's hard to be a liberal or a democrat in Texas and feel like you have a voice or that your vote matters. But honestly, if you have the motivation to go to 938252 concerts over the summer, you should be able to take two minutes to fill out a form registering yourself to vote in this very important election! Even if you think your vote doesn't matter, sometimes the point of the political system is to participate in the democratic process and to demonstrate you have even a small, superficial say in the direction our country gets led in for the next 4-8 years. And that's not even mentioning local elections and ballot propositions.
Apathy is never an excuse, you guys. I don't care if you're only 18 and you're not sure how this whole voting thing works. It's called Google. I know you know how to use it. Look up the candidates, look up their stances on the issues. Watch their stump speeches on YouTube and figure out who you think is the better choice. Think about who you want nominating Supreme Court Justices and representing the United States to the world. And then look up how to register to vote. Spend twenty minutes thinking about the bigger picture because it will effect a lot more than just one day in November when you feel like your actions were futile because your state went the other way. George W. Bush's election (I use that term loosely) changed history. Two wars, an economic crisis, and a major recession later, we're still standing but we need an electorate who are willing to use their BRAINS.
So no. The fact that you were too apathetic to register to vote isn't an excuse to me, and frankly, it disgusts me. There are people in other nations dying, literally, for the right to vote, and Americans are like, "Oh, I meant to do it, but then I started watching 'Who Wants to Be America's Next Top Asshole' and I forgot."
To the person I had the argument with: I'm not sorry that I came down on you, because honestly, this sort of thing is exactly why I sometimes hate being an American.
And this elections is going to be close. The polls may not seem like it now, but I know Ohio and I know the rampant racism there. If you think McCain isn't going to spend the next two weeks attacking and lying about Obama and eschewing all policy talk in favor of Rovian scare tactics, you're not paying attention.
And that's the bottom line, isn't it? People are NOT PAYING ATTENTION. I love Britney, but if you can take 4 minutes out of your day to watch her new video, or if you can spend 15 minutes voting for Lance on DwtS, you can educate yourself and take your part in the responsibility for the fate of the nation, and be a citizen and VOTE.
Yes, I am angry. This makes me angry. And I am maybe not being as diplomatic about it as I should be and I am probably making people feel bad, but also? I think you should feel bad. You dropped the ball, so fuck you. Ignorance and apathy are not an excuse, they are just disgusting.