9.30.2004
why is voting important?
i watched oprah yesterday--her audience comprised entirely of women, ages 20 to 70 or so, who had never voted.oprah was passionate in her entreaties. she and her guests worked hard to show and tell the women why they should care:
"it's your VOICE!"
"until not very long ago, black people and women were legally barred from voting; it's disrepsectful for us NOT to vote!"
"vote or DIE!"
etc.
but those pleas only motivate so many people.
what about intellectual cynics who say, "the electoral college decides it anyway. my vote is pointless."
or truly naive people who say, "politics bore me. government doesn't affect me."
or rightfully jaded folks who say, "nothing in my broke-ass life is going to change, regardless of who's president, senator, mayor, or city councilor. no one will do shit for me but ME."
how do you look people like that in the eye and SHOW them--give them honest, concrete reasons for--the importance of voting?