By Sally Pyne
Are you sick of the national election yet? No matter how you feel about the 2 candidates for president, chances are you will be glad when it’s over, right? However, we have many local candidates that are just now starting their campaigns. Local politics truly affects our daily lives, and local elected officials are very accessible to all of us. For example, this afternoon our Chamber is hosting a local officials reception in Normal and there are many similar opportunities for you to chat with your elected officials.
However, some folks are so tired of all the campaign bantor they are not wanting to participate. I would contend that that is a very unpatriotic thing to do. You dishonor those who have served our country when you do not register to vote, or choose not to vote. In fact, I would rather see you “take a knee” during our national anthem—a song, by the way, whose third verse actually condones slavery—than not vote. You offend and insult our country and those who fight to keep us free when you do not exercise this right. Such a relatively new right for most of us actually! Woman have only been allowed to vote since 1920. The 15th Amendment was only 50 years prior which prohibited the government from restricting your right to vote based on race or color. Recently I witnessed a historian explaining this to a group of 5th graders and all of them gasped in disbelief.
You have until November 8th, Election Day, to get registered in person if you are not. You can do it on-line or through the mail through October 11th. In fact, National Voter Registration Day was set for the fourth Tuesday of September by resolution of the National Association of Secretaries of State. So, on September 27th many organizations are helping to get the 6 million Americans that were not able to vote in 2008 ready for voting this year. Local efforts are underway, and I have volunteered to take a shift. You can help also—just Google “National Voter’s Reigistration Day.” Maybe your church or civic group can organize to help? I want all of us to vote, even if I don’t agree with your views, you need to do your duty as an American and live up to your responsibility. Not participating, as tempting as it may be this year, is disrespecting our democracy.
The other responsibilty we all have is to make an informed decision. This is harder than it sounds, as daily we hear & read so-called “news” about this candidate or the other. How did we get to this place of wondering where “truth” can be found? Well, for one, media that used to report events—or facts—now uses “the spin,” as we learn of the conjured meaning of those events. Opinions are like—well, you know what—and everyone has one. This, coupled with actual attacks on the news media, the 24-hour cycle of it all, and a general mistrust of government has led to the “silo-ing” of political views. We may all be guilty of “The Daily Me,” whereby we only seek sources we know we will agree with. Cognitive disonance is uncomfortble, right? A responsible voter must use the fact-checking resources available and avoid assertions while finding evidence-based arguments and analysis. It’shard work and it’s worth it, folks.
I assure you, it will all be over “but the shouting” very soon. We have some tough decisions to make. Get yourself set to vote & be sure those you know are as well. And remember, “what happens in the voter’s booth stays in the voter’s booth.” You have a very precious and amazing right to do as you please and while we may not agree on the priorities for this great nation I will forever defend your right to express your views & exercise your freedoms. GOD BLESS AMERICA.
Dr. Sally Pyne is a retired educator who has lived in the Bloomington-Normal community all but 5 of her 50-plus years. She is married to Ed who is editor and publisher of the Normalite newspapers and they are parents of two grown daughters.
The opinions expressed within WJBC’s Forum are solely those of the Forum’s author, and are not necessarily those of WJBC or Cumulus Media, Inc.
