This year more than any other election cycle, it seems as if there is a concerted effort to get the vote out, specifically the youth vote. These days, it’s as if every organization is scrambling to put out some sort of public service announcement making sure every American votes. The most newsworthy and controversial has been, as commented on in previous columns, MTV’s Choose or Lose effort and Rock the Vote.
These organizations and people are utilizing their abilities to entertain the masses in hopes of bribing citizens to vote. Whether it’s P Diddy on MTV or Bruce Springsteen touring the country, we’re being offered an entertaining package with a note of voting advocacy for Nov. 2.
Some screamed conspiracy when we saw these events unfold over the summer. While it may be a little over the top to claim all these people are at John Kerry’s disposal, it’s obvious there is a liberal effort to target voting groups that might vote Democratic. Look who’s funding these get-out-the-vote campaigns. It’s common knowledge that conservative Republicans have been at odds with MTV and the majority of popular recording artists since anyone can remember. Sure, they have their biases.
Still, beyond their motives for getting the youth vote, the public-relations campaign is ridiculous. Vote for education, they say. Vote for health care. Vote for mom. Vote for the environment. Vote for jobs. Vote for anything. Vote for your dog. Just vote. This nonsense begs the question: What is inherently good about voting? It just is. Voting is good because voting is what you’re supposed to do. I don’t mean to be snobby or condescending about it, but really, the reasons put forth for voting are pretty shallow.
Let’s be honest about this: Nothing good has ever come from just voting. America was not born because droves of people wanted to vote. America was born out of a desire to maintain inalienable rights and an educated group of men who knew what kind of government might complement that desire.
Voting because Michael Moore told you to vote is really not going to do anybody any good. Voting divorced from education is a deadly mix. That deadly mix has put us in the predicament we’re in. If one is educated about government, but doesn’t vote, that person is of no use when the polls close. If someone is uneducated about government, but runs to the polls on Election Day, that person is dangerous.
The problem becomes this: We all think we’re educated. We arrogant Americans really have a hard time facing up to our personal problems and it’s probably true when it comes to education as well.
So, in light of that arrogance problem, let me help you out. If you’re still undecided about whom you’re going to vote for this late in the game, please just don’t vote, because it’s obvious that the still-undecided voters are immature when it comes to viewing government. If you’re voting against someone, don’t vote. If a politician is defined by being against another candidate, we’ll all come to a dead end when one of the candidates is eliminated. If you’re voting to get free stuff – such as health care, education, welfare, etc. – don’t vote, because you’re responsible for the impending fiscal disaster. If you’re voting just to vote, don’t vote, because you’re responsible for electing crooked politicians.
A new generation is rising up that has this idea in its collective mind that voting is inherently good. In reality, an uneducated vote cast is evil. Unfortunately, such a misguided generation is going to change history and the image of what exactly civic responsibility looks like.
