Why it irks me when people don't vote

I'm going to link to an old post I did in March for Women's History Month about Susan B. Anthony.

After seeing Farenheit 9/11 I am even more assured in my belief that we need to get Bush out of DC. Send him back here to Texas, that's fine. He can stay in Crawford and work with the armadillos on his ranch (although as we know from the movie, he'll probably end up being an advisor to BIG OIL).

Even if you hate Bush, and don't think much of Kerry, you still need to vote. Vote for the lesser of two evils, vote for Nader, vote for the libertarian candidate, I don't care. I'd prefer if you voted Democrat, but get out and vote. I have no patience for people who don't vote, then complain about the leadership of this country. As far as I'm concerned, they have no leg to stand on. I don't care if you're jaded about the electoral process (which I am also) or hate that big money controls both parties (which I do also). You still need to vote.

I went to dinner with my friend Michael about six months ago and we discussed politics. He complained about the USA and the fact that everyone hates us now. I asked him if he voted, and he told me he didn't. I can't remember what I responded with, but I was thinking, "then you can't really bitch about it, can you?"

Hopefully this upcoming election will not be as close as the last one (and Florida won't have so many issues). But if it is, who knows but your vote might make a difference.

Perhaps I am too idealistic, or maybe I just have a low tolerance threshold about this kind of thing. But I think you get what I'm trying to say. Women fasted in jail so I could go vote. People died in the South working for the right for others to vote.

I'm voting, damn it.
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