Finally, it's November 2nd. I got up earlier so that I could make a headstart and go to the Polls before going in to work. Of course there was a long line, thankfully I only had to wait an hour and fifteen minutes. I've voted before in past Presidential elections. At the time I was in another state, there were no long lines then. There also was not such manic intense feelings four years ago - at least before the end results anyway.
I'm a naturalized citizen of this country and I'm proud to be an American. It's amazing to me to see the freedom with which people have been able to discuss their different political views. Although, I must confess I have been staying away from the political blogs because sometimes they get too heated with the bloggers own views which might not reflect my own and I didn't respond to many and have read some comments in response to some of those views. I also am amazed at the tricks that I hear happening in my state and around the country; ballots being destroyed, voters being misinformed - deliberately, voters registration not being accepted or people pretending to accept registrations and they end up elsewhere. Some people on opposite sides threatening each other or even in the case of a recent incident, running over someone with a motor vehicle because they don't share your political view point!
Then recently, I heard of three people who were escorted out of a Bush/Cheney event because they weren't supporters but were obvious supporters of John Kerry, and were not welcomed at the event and treated so hostilely by the Bush supporters. The police was called and they were physically removed from the event. It made me wonder how this election seems to be getting out of control. There are people with very strong views out there and they are resorting to some very serious means to get others to think their way and vote for who "they" want.
Elections, and especially this one, always makes me reflect on a sad part (and the only sad part - thank God) of my childhood in my birth country. A country I must say , whose days of political turmoil is not long past. The violence erupted because the people from opposite sides of the fence hated each other and what their political views represented. If you didn't agree with them, you got killed. You couldn't go into a neighborhood with the wrong color clothing on (each political party had its' own colors), or else you could be shot - mindlessly. I remembered the many nights of shootings, loud gunfire and people running for their lives - all in the name of politics. I remember seeing someone with half their face shot off, blood everywhere. People were so obsessed with their party and their opinions it was frightening. At that point, because the neighborhood we lived in at the time was so politically strife, my mom decided to get us kids out of there for a while until the election day came and went and things got less confrontational. That was 27 years ago. Today, elections there are not as confrontational or violent, but you still can't go into some neighborhoods wearing the wrong color at election time. The fact that we don't have to go through this kind of experience here in the United States, is wonderful.
And, there is the other side, the people who will not go out there today to do their civic duty, to vote. Because they are disenchanted with the political system and the politicians who are running for election. I can't say I blame them honestly. It's very frutstrating to feel that way, that there is not one good choice out of all the choices out there. To be disillusioned because these politicians tell you what you want to hear when they are running and once elected, they go back to their rhetoric and do not make the changes they promise.
But, I must say that I'm sorry they won't go out and vote. It is for this very reason why they should. Not only is the choice of presidency important, especially this time around, but there may be Amendments to the Constitution that will affect the fundamental rights of each individual in this country. Not to mention Local Ordinances that will also enact changes in their own communities. So, if you are one of the undecided voters out there, please, do vote. You don't even have to choose one of the two main people running for president. There are other choices on the ballot. It doesn't matter what anyone else's views are, it's important how you feel and the choices you will make. Hopefully, the right choice will be made. Hopefully, we will always have this choice to make of our own free will. Do it for your your children, do it for the good of our country. There's still time too, so go on, go vote.