The Importance of Voting
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Posted By: Hodari Brown on August 15, 2005 The Importance of Voting With the presidential election upon us, it is more important than ever for African Americans to get out and vote. Many African Americans think their vote does not matter. Imagine if everyone felt that way — we would never elect a president! Many elections, not just on a local level, have been decided by less than 100 votes. For example, in the 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore, most precincts in Tennessee and Florida show Bush beat Gore by less than 10 votes, and in some cases by one vote. That could have been your vote. In 1776, a single vote margin selected English over German as the nation’s language for official business. In 1867, one vote in the Senate kept President Andrew Johnson from being removed from office during his impeachment trial. In 1876, one vote in the House of Representatives awarded the presidency to Rutherford B. Hayes in the nation’s most controversial presidential election. And in 1923, Adolph Hitler took over leadership of the German Nazi party by a single vote. So African Americans vote does count. Maybe African Americans feel that when it comes down to it, all the candidates are the same, so why bother voting. But they should remember that the winning president may have an enormous impact on their children’s future, not just for four years but for 40 years. How? Because the president alone has the power to nominate a new Supreme Court justice. Congress and the president may pass laws and veto bills, but ultimately it is the Supreme Court that interprets the Constitution to determine how Americans live their lives. If African Americans are still not convinced of the impact the Supreme Court has had on this country and the differences in the various presidential appointments to the Court, compare the Supreme Court decisions of the late 60’s and early 70’s — Miranda v. State of Arizona, Roe v. Wade — when it was more liberal, with its more conservative ones in the 80’s, which have gradually whittled away at the older ones. Chances are good the next president will nominate at least two justices to the Supreme Court, who will then affect not only your life, but that of your children and grandchildren. The question is which candidate would you prefer to end up with the power to make those nominations? Remember, too, that when you are upset about the condition of your town’s roads or your state’s tax rate, voting for and knowing your elected officials will let African Americans voice their complaints to the appropriate representatives — you voted for them and they work for you. As national elections draw near, African Americans must all take on the role of intelligent and responsible voters, as is our civic right and duty. There is a great deal of controversy concerning the upcoming election. President Bush’s approval rating is at an all-time low, and the good liberal boys and girls of America are waiting with bated breath for this November. But aside from all of the usual Conservative vs. Liberal, Republican vs. Democrat nonsense that usually accompanies the election, I’d like to give African Americans some insight as to what issues they can expect to hear about come election time (and some that they may not, but should always keep in mind). It’s not too early to start educating yourself about the candidates and their policies. For example, I’m hearing about Ralph Nader entering the race in a bid for the presidency. He is a liberal, through and through, and his policies reflect that. He can be at times very closed-minded (as many politicians are, on both sides of the fence), but he is clear on two things: He doesn’t like George Bush’s policies, and he’s a member of the Green party (notoriously extreme leftist). [Ed. note at this time Nader is not running with the Green Party] Other than that, his platform is liable to change at the blink of an eye. That is a clear example of being educated about a candidate. Now African Americans can do their own extensive research into presidential hopeful Ralph Nadar or even the major party candidates, Republican George W. Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry. If African Americans are convinced about the importance of voting but have other excuses for not wanting to do it — like the polls are too crowded, you cannot get there on time, or you do not have transportation — there are many organizations that volunteer their time to ensure everyone’s access to the polls and voters have options to make sure their vote doesn’t go to waste. For example, if African Americans need a ride, call the League of Women Voters. If African Americans know they cannot get to the polls on time, request an absentee ballot. Procedures for obtaining absentee ballots are different for every state, but African Americans can easily find the procedures that apply to them online. If African Americans wish to vote absentee for more than one election in a calendar year, they may make one application and ask that ballots for all elections that year be sent to them. Procedures for obtaining absentee ballots are different for every state. African Americans can vote for all the elections in a calendar year by absentee ballot. What could be easier than voting by mail? Whether the excuse is apathy or laziness, voting has become a privilege that far many too African Americans take for granted. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Hodari Brown
From Redford, MI Tennessee State University class of 2008 Member Since August 2003 |
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