Election 2012 is upon us. For some Grand Rapids Community College students, this is another presidential vote, but for others, this is the first.
Many students feel overwhelmed at the thought of a vote that involves so many important issues and therefore have chosen not to vote. Others may just feel their votes aren’t important or that the government is too corrupt for them to vote.
The problem with these ideas is that no matter how someone feels about the candidates, they will be affected by who wins.
People are always quick to complain about the government and what it’s doing, but it makes no sense to complain after they choose to forgo the right to have a say in how the government is run. By deciding not to vote, you decide to give up your own right as a citizen and place those important decisions about your own life in other people’s hands.
Some people will gladly vote for their favorite ArtPrize pieces or American Idol contestants but will not take the time to vote for the president of the United States.
It is a valid concern that people may not feel informed enough to make a good decision, but to change that only takes some research.
Of course, it’s important to get news from multiple sources because there are a lot of biased blogs and websites, but there are websites dedicated to being as objective as possible, factcheck.org being one of them.
It is difficult to have a completely firm grasp on every single issue facing our nation, but most people know something about the candidates running, and that is enough to be able to show someone support.
Unlike many people of the world, we are fortunate to live in a country where we have the right to vote, and we should practice that right that people fought and died for.
It’s important for people to take responsibility as American citizens and vote for their leadership. Waiting in line to vote may not be as exciting as waiting in line for ice cream, but it’s an important civic duty that should be upheld by the citizens.
Really, if people have the right to determine who leads this country and which laws they have to abide by, why would anyone not take advantage of that?
