Democracy-fu
Election years never fail to amuse me. They always tend to bring the weirdos out of the woodwork. People you never heard say a peep in the elevator are now willing to spout their political philosophy, even if it is in the form of a grunt as they're listening to another pair of people talk about the wonders of the Democratic convention.
Elections are a great engine for dividing the country. The political camps circle their wagons and lob flaming epithets at each other as if they honestly believe each camp is trying to lead the country down into the flames of damnation. Interesting that once the dust clears after the elections and the losers have conceded defeat and shaken the hand of the victor (promising to work for the common good together), we all go back into our shells and pray for a white house sex scandal.
I am also regularly amused by the local press. While our big-city newspapers have to be careful about what they print in their attempt to set the agenda and keep their readership happy, the local free press that is tossed into my driveway each week has no such worry. It is the closest to the true form of journalism where checks and balances are examined by the "Fourth Estate" without worry that some big advertiser is going to get annoyed. Take this last issue that I glanced through - in the letters to the editor section, there was a letter from a disenfranchised voter who was ranting that he wasn't planning on voting in the presidental elections this year because he felt that by doing so, he'd be committing an act of violence. Now, he didn't explain particularly well WHY he considers it an act of violence (something about how supporting the state is supporting an institution that wages violence on its people...I suppose one could say that - if you stand on your head and squint just right...or again, if you're a minority, you've got the argument hands-down), but that this local community newspaper would print the letter at all heartened me to the realm of journalistic integrity.
Mind you, this paper in question isn't some left-wing tabloid...it generally reports community news about taxes, or how some high schooler won some national award, or how some church helped someone - generally it publishes very positive information in a down-home, local sort of way. Its quaint, though often short-sighted.
So, here we have an extreme left wing letter...then a little further down the page is an extremely conservative letter about the evils of the library (discussed in my first blog entry). Both positions were completely at the radical ends of the spectrum, but I silently smiled and gave a mental pat on the back to the editor for such tolerance of views. While I'm afraid my blood doesn't run red, white, and blue, I'm still quite happy to be in a country where such different views are allowed to be spoken - largely because they amuse me. I mean, having to tow the state line all the time just isn't much fun. Its getting further away from us all the time, now, but some of us still remember pictures of eastern bloc countries and the people there...geez, nobody ever smiled!
But back to elections - in this wonderful little paper, there was an editorial by one of their regular columnists (actually, their movie reviewer) where she attempted to regale the youth vote for the upcoming election. I'd have to say, she did a very good job with the editorial with excellent reasons and didn't use any worn-out cliches to try to rally the troops.
But I've never heard anyone be as wonderfully succinct about why one should vote as a political science professer I had back in college by the name of Richard C. C. Kim - (go buy his book, its wonderful). He laid out the situation with the presidential election...it was possible that the person with the least votes could actually win...the electoral college messes with the final result anyway...you could have your chad get hanged...blah blah blah...so why vote?
"Because its fun!" said Dr. Kim.
I mean, really - the old style voting booths where you poke the paper is a gas. Its such a satisfying sound when the paper gives way . I've not tried one of the electronic ones, but that's got to be at least as fun as goofing-off with my ipaq. Hey...you, by yourself, are not going to be the one to decide who is the future president, so don't delude yourself - just go and have fun with it. Have a few drinks with friends and go as a group...you'll be glad you did.
Need some reasons either way?
Elections are a great engine for dividing the country. The political camps circle their wagons and lob flaming epithets at each other as if they honestly believe each camp is trying to lead the country down into the flames of damnation. Interesting that once the dust clears after the elections and the losers have conceded defeat and shaken the hand of the victor (promising to work for the common good together), we all go back into our shells and pray for a white house sex scandal.
I am also regularly amused by the local press. While our big-city newspapers have to be careful about what they print in their attempt to set the agenda and keep their readership happy, the local free press that is tossed into my driveway each week has no such worry. It is the closest to the true form of journalism where checks and balances are examined by the "Fourth Estate" without worry that some big advertiser is going to get annoyed. Take this last issue that I glanced through - in the letters to the editor section, there was a letter from a disenfranchised voter who was ranting that he wasn't planning on voting in the presidental elections this year because he felt that by doing so, he'd be committing an act of violence. Now, he didn't explain particularly well WHY he considers it an act of violence (something about how supporting the state is supporting an institution that wages violence on its people...I suppose one could say that - if you stand on your head and squint just right...or again, if you're a minority, you've got the argument hands-down), but that this local community newspaper would print the letter at all heartened me to the realm of journalistic integrity.
Mind you, this paper in question isn't some left-wing tabloid...it generally reports community news about taxes, or how some high schooler won some national award, or how some church helped someone - generally it publishes very positive information in a down-home, local sort of way. Its quaint, though often short-sighted.
So, here we have an extreme left wing letter...then a little further down the page is an extremely conservative letter about the evils of the library (discussed in my first blog entry). Both positions were completely at the radical ends of the spectrum, but I silently smiled and gave a mental pat on the back to the editor for such tolerance of views. While I'm afraid my blood doesn't run red, white, and blue, I'm still quite happy to be in a country where such different views are allowed to be spoken - largely because they amuse me. I mean, having to tow the state line all the time just isn't much fun. Its getting further away from us all the time, now, but some of us still remember pictures of eastern bloc countries and the people there...geez, nobody ever smiled!
But back to elections - in this wonderful little paper, there was an editorial by one of their regular columnists (actually, their movie reviewer) where she attempted to regale the youth vote for the upcoming election. I'd have to say, she did a very good job with the editorial with excellent reasons and didn't use any worn-out cliches to try to rally the troops.
But I've never heard anyone be as wonderfully succinct about why one should vote as a political science professer I had back in college by the name of Richard C. C. Kim - (go buy his book, its wonderful). He laid out the situation with the presidential election...it was possible that the person with the least votes could actually win...the electoral college messes with the final result anyway...you could have your chad get hanged...blah blah blah...so why vote?
"Because its fun!" said Dr. Kim.
I mean, really - the old style voting booths where you poke the paper is a gas. Its such a satisfying sound when the paper gives way . I've not tried one of the electronic ones, but that's got to be at least as fun as goofing-off with my ipaq. Hey...you, by yourself, are not going to be the one to decide who is the future president, so don't delude yourself - just go and have fun with it. Have a few drinks with friends and go as a group...you'll be glad you did.
Need some reasons either way?
posted by Erik | 8:11 AM
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