Two More Reasons To Vote

I don't like beating this poor dead horse any more than you do. But we have to talk politics again today. The only thing I can think of is that you have to vote November 4th. If you like these stories and feel that this is a good direction for the country to head in, vote McCain/Palin. If you think these stories are insidious attacks against the rights of good citizens in this country, namely the precious First Amendment, then you must go out and vote for Obama/Biden.

Here are two stories I've read lately:

1. Palin was on a conservative radio show recently and she was talking about how she was criticized by reporters and columnists for her negative attacks against Obama and who he associated with in his past. Here is what she said:

"If [the media] convince enough voters that that is negative campaigning, for me to call Barack Obama out on his associations," Palin told host Chris Plante, "then I don't know what the future of our country would be in terms of First Amendment rights and our ability to ask questions without fear of attacks by the mainstream media."

Then here is the other story I found.

2. A man decided to go to the bathroom during the 7th inning singing of god Bless America in Yankee Stadium awhile ago. A police officer stopped him and said he couldn't leave during the religious/patriotic song.

The man said he didn't care about god Bless America and he just needed to use the bathroom. The cop grabbed the man, and another officer did as well, pinning the man's arms behind his back and forced him to leave the stadium. Since then the police are making up a story of the man being drunk, standing on the seats, being belligerent and reeking of alcohol. But the man had a friend with him who corroborates his story and says the cops are making it up.

Look, I have no idea if voting matters. Between voting scandals, no-paper-trail electronic voting machines and the electoral college, I just don't know. On the other side, it's your best recourse to make your voice heard, to stand up and participate in your country and your community.

Voting is a responsibility, not a privilege. If you forgo that responsibility out of apathy, indifference, disenfranchisement, whatever, you have no right to complain about what happens for the next four or more years. It makes you part of the problem, not part of the solution.

And I think it's safe to say, no matter where you stand or how you lean, we have a huge problem.

Don't sit back and do nothing, then whine when your rights are gone completely and you are required to pray in school and at work to the nation's god. Don't cry and whine when the Amendments are torn up and burned on the White House lawn with a pile of books. Hopefully these are exaggerations of a Dark Future. But hey, let's make sure they stay the rantings of a paranoid blogger in middle America instead of the law of the land.

Go vote.