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Democracy inaction Turning Off the Turning OutBy Rick Horowitz
Dear Fellow American: Are you sure you wouldn't rather just stay home? Election Day is fast approaching, and as this seemingly endless presidential campaign enters its final hours, many fine upstanding American citizens such as yourself are wondering how they should observe such an important day. Our advice to you is simple: Observe it from the comfort of your living room. There's no doubt about it -- a presidential election is one of the touchstones of our democracy, a chance for ordinary people like you and your neighbors to speak up, however feebly, and let your voices be heard, however faintly. Anyone who has ever cast a vote for president knows what a remarkable experience it can be, and how the memories of that day can last a lifetime. In fact, once you've voted in one presidential election, voting in another one is pretty much an anticlimax. Talk about the "same old same old" -- it's hardly worth the effort! So why bother? We're sure you and your neighbors have better things to do with your time. And for those of you who've never voted for president before: What's the rush? Presidential elections happen every four years, rain or shine (and you know how awful the weather's been this year), so if you decide to skip this one, it's no big deal. You'll have plenty of other chances, and you won't get your shoes wet. Besides, voting can be such a hassle. Thanksgiving Day is a great American holiday, too, but does anyone make you spend Thanksgiving Day standing in a long, long line before you're allowed to eat your turkey and your greens? Of course not! It's the same with Presidents Day, or Veterans Day, or Memorial Day -- or even Independence Day, the Fourth of July! They're all great American holidays, every bit as important as Election Day, but nobody insists that you go halfway across town and bring 17 pieces of identification with you before you can celebrate them. Who needs the aggravation? Always remember: You're no less patriotic if you decide to stay home on Election Day and make one of those other holidays your special celebration. Or Mother's Day. Or even Arbor Day, if you have any trees in your neighborhood. Or Martin Luther King's birthday, which is only a couple of months away. President Bush and the Republican Party realize how much Martin Luther King meant to this country, and especially to you and your neighbors -- so if you'd prefer to focus on him right now instead of cluttering your mind worrying about who to vote for for president, we certainly understand. There'll be more than enough voters to decide things even without your help. By now, you may be thinking, "Dang! Voting is the one right that makes all those other rights possible! I'm still going to turn out to vote, even if it's a bother." That's certainly an understandable attitude. But with all due respect to you and your neighbors: There's bother, and then there's bother. Do you honestly want to spend your entire day moving inch by inch toward some voting booth, when you're only going to be challenged (and maybe even harassed) before you get there? Do you really want to have to prove that you are who you say you are, and that you live where you say you live? Of course not, but that's exactly what's going to happen -- we can almost guarantee it. The last thing anyone wants on Election Day is some agonizingly slow, ridiculously drawn-out voting process, in your precinct or anywhere else. But we have to say that, based on all our research and all the evidence, the chances of certain people having their registrations challenged and their identities questioned are very good. Ditto if you spelled something wrong on some form somewhere. Ditto if you moved recently and we didn't happen to hear about it. Even if you prevail -- even if you convince an election official that you are entitled to vote -- just think about all the time you'll have wasted. You'll probably miss some of your favorite shows on UPN. Is it worth it? Election Day is almost here. But when you really think about it, doesn't it make a lot more sense to sit this one out? Isn't it better to let other people do the voting? Sincerely yours... Posted
10/28/04. Cast your vote for "Rick's" -- he's definitely earned another
term in your bookmarks!
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Rick Horowitz
