That Time of Year

In, Oregon, we voted in the primaries in late May. Memorial Day was about a week later, and Flag Day is coming up June 14. This is a very patriotic time of year, when people wave the flags, speak of loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice, and politicians stump a little about this great land. None of this, especially memorial services, is bad. But in the quest for Democracy, one little bit is almost always over-looked: Democracry starts with a single vote.
We think of our government as the natural evolution of a hard fought war. But forming a system of self-rule was almost harder than the fighting itself. The best example of Democracy available was the defunct Roman Empire. Sure they had voting, but not for everyone and unfortunately, we continued the practice of slavery. Some of our most esteemed leaders of the time period felt that only those with land/estates should be allowed to vote. There was much arguing on how many people each state should get to represent them in the yet-to-be-named Congress. Populous states felt 2 people was to skimpy to represent every issue they had and less populous states were afraid their voices would be ignored (hence to branches of government to satisfy both arguments-the Senate and the House.) Obviously in the end, a solution was found, and although our government is not a direct clone of it's early days, we have a system that has endured for over 200 years.
It did come at the cost of one of the greatest friendships of all time-John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Adams was for limited voting, and served one term for running afoul with people he was serving by gagging the press (so much fro freedom of the news papers). Jefferson insisted on voting for all, AND he threw in public education-a novel idea for it's day. His thought was that to vote, you needed to be educated. Can we share that with some political leaders today? Anyway, they patched it up in their old age, but these best friends, and vital members of the Cause, never again reached the intimacy they had shared during the war years.
The government of the newly formed US was so new and novel, it inspired other nations, hence "the shot heard round the world" (the first bullet fired for the Revolutionary War). Remember, government for the people, run by the people had NEVER been done before in this form. France soon followed, although not as peacefully, and most monarchies in Europe faded within 100 years or so, leaving their kings and queens beheaded or used mainly as a figure head.
Today, our system of government is not perfect. After 200 years or so, you think we would be able to get out some fo the kinks! But regardless of it's flaws, "the shot heard around the world" continues to inspire political activists, ethnic groups, and sometimes entire nations to become for the people, by the people. Every day, someone dies fighting for Democracy-sometimes a citizen of the US, and sometimes a citizen of another nation trying to make things better for the future-for themeselves and their children.
So why do I write all this? In the Oregon Primary in late May, less than 60%, but more than 50%, of the people of this state voted-not only a record high for us, but a high compared to some other states as well. Can I say pathetic? After all the work and struggle over the centuries by fellow Americans, and after all the work and struggle from people across the globe, and I hear people tell me they had to work and were to busy. It angers me, it makes me rage against the machine, and it makes me want to spit. Especially here in Oregon, with Vote By Mail, you can start voting days ahead of time.
Believe me, there are places to live that are much less labor intensive that don't require all this work to live in freedom. Mynamar (spelling?) is ruled by a miliatry junta that denied their own people aid to keep out foreigners. Cuba has been ruled by the same guy since the 1950's, and only recently has he let his brother take over. Hmmm-nepotism you think?The examples are numerous-and not a single one of these countries will require active participation on your part.
In November, we are voting on the person who will not only lead us as individuals, but our representative on the International Stage. And someone won't vote, either because they are working late, or because they think their vote doesn't matter. If your vote doesn't matter, why are people risking their lives to get the opportunity to do it?
Vote.