Our new project is tied to Election Day. We hear every year about how people are more disillusioned about politics than ever. This project is designed as an antidote. It's called Why I Vote, and the idea is simple:
Send in a photo of yourself with a sign that answers this question: Why do you vote?
What we're looking for in the photo is kind of a Bob Dylan "Subterranean Homesick Blues" feel:
Except you can smile. Smiling is encouraged.
It doesn't have to look exactly like that, either. Be creative! Although your answer also needs to be brief.
BECAUSE IT IS A CORNERSTONE OF THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT WE HAVE CHOSEN IN THIS COUNTRY might not work.
BECAUSE I COLLECT THOSE 'I VOTED' STICKERS probably would.
Be funny, be serious, be sarcastic, be heartfelt... be whatever you like. Make sure your face is in the photo. And be partisan if you want, but just know that I'm more inclined toward nonpartisan answers. (You could write in red or blue marker to show your colors.)
E-mail me your photo (with your name and town) to ttomlinson@charlotteobserver.com. (You can also mail it to PO Box 30308, Charlotte, NC 28230... but if you don't know how to e-mail a photo, just ask the nearest 12-year-old.)
I'm hoping we'll end up with a motivational slideshow for these last few weeks before Election Day.
Thanks for contributing!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Project #6: Why I Vote
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5 comments:
It will never happen, but if I were king, one would need to pass a simple logic test to vote.
The terms are up for discussion, but something along the lines of 10 questions, similiar to what one may find on an S.A.T. test. Not rocket science. Could be somehow administered via the DMV, and tied to my other requirement of proof of citizenship.
The great majority of potential voters would pass. The only intent would be to weed out the truly incompetent. Stakes are high, and voting is an important responsibility, which needs to be taken seriously. It's not unreasonable to require proof of competency.
The Center for Disease Control has issued a warning about a new virulent strain of this old disease. The disease it called Gonorrhea Lectim. It's pronounced "Gonna re-elect 'em," and it is a terrible obamanation.
The disease is contracted through dangerous and high risk behavior involving putting your cranium up your rectum. Many victims contracted it in 2008 ... but now most people, after having been infected for the past 1-2 years, are starting to realize how destructive this sickness is.
It's sad because Gonorrhea Lectim is easily cured with a new drug just coming on the market called Votemout. You take the first dose in 2010 and the second dose in 2012 and simply don't engage in such behavior again; otherwise, it could become permanent and eventually wipe out all life as we know it.
Several states are already on top of this, like Virginia and New Jersey, and apparently now Massachusetts, with many more seeing the writing on the wall
Yes, and the disease you describe seems to effect memory. People forget who got us into this mess, and which party is promising that if returned to power they will return us to the time honored policies that caused the crash to start with. They let the NRA convince them that the current administration is going to collect their guns, even though no new gun laws have been passed or attempted.
They point to the massive debt and forget which administrations ran it up. They let people who represent the insurance industry convince them that universally available health insurance is the greatest threat to our freedom since 1776. They let the right wing echo chamber convince them that a loosely organized band of primitive criminals is the greatest threat to our country ever, apparently totally ignorant of the cold war and two world wars that involved well equipped and well trained militaries on both sides.
So you see, any kind of a test to determine if you are smart enough to vote would be used to eliminate voters who disagree with whoever administers the test. Not unlike the way the Republicans are trying to convince Hispanic people not to vote in Nevada.
For the wanna be king and his qualifying test for voters... less intelligent and illogical people have just as much right to vote as anyone. You've already half-flunked your own proposal. There is no king in the United States, and, why would the head of a monarchy bother with establishing voting requirements?
Continuing with your logic, why not keep track of whom people vote, and if they are determined to have made poor decisions, they would not be allowed to run and you, because of your lack of competency would not be allowed to vote.
All of the comments reinforce my argument that the two party system has failed. Without election reforms the downward spiral is doomed to continue. They all talked about it every election cycle, Sue Myrick comes to mind, but it never happened. I don't remember who said it, but we truly do get the leadership we deserve.
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