Voting Rights Reconsidered

I take the voting rights very seriously -- specifically given that women and people of color were not included in the game for a very long time in this country... however, I have to wonder what we are thinking just about now.

For instance, Obama has been accused of not being specific enough about his policies -- I am one who wanted to hear more specifics earlier ... I am feeling more confident that he is giving us the details we need, but now I begin to see the brilliance of his strategy. First, grab their hearts and souls -- because their brains are dangerously difficult to reach. Just last week, Barack went out among the people and took questions from the audience. I listened to the clip where he was talking about the essential issue of the day, in his opinion not mine: the economy. He took a question from a woman in the audience, who presumably was there because she cares about the outcome of this election -- meaning that she might have considered what is important to our country right now and wants to posit a thoughtful question to the candidate. And what did she ask? She told Barack that she was worried that he wanted to take away her guns. She's lucky I wasn't the one answering her damn question -- because I would have said, Lady, I don't want to take away your guns, I want to lock you in a room with just your guns and hope you do the right thing. Yes. It's not a nice way to feel about your country people, but I am so sick of nearly brainless people masquerading as citizens.

There are duties that are associated with being a citizen -- it isn't just a privilege and the chance to stand under a lovely flag and listen to a purdy song on an olympic stage or having the opportunity to spend all your money on useless things or the freedom to watch hours of mind-numbing reality tv. No, there are duties: to be concerned with our freedom and our future -- beyond simply being afraid of men who are muslim, we actually need to consider our place in the economic horizon, how we maintain our primacy -- if that's possible -- through cultivating skilled/trained citizens who are willing to work hard and contribute to our well being as a country and world citizen. Yup ... all that and much more.

So, I have decided, not unlike another blogger I enjoy reading, think that no one should be allowed to vote this year who hasn't had to deal with some issues on this level. That is to say that they are not allowed to vote if they are stuck in the popularity contest of a middle school student body association president election.

Yes, if you follow my rule, you will have to listen to a show like this interview with Thomas Friedman -- it will take 33 full minutes. Or have to watch two or three weeks of Bill Moyers -- and that will be two or three 45 minute sessions ... the good news is that you can pause and go to the bathroom and yell at the tv and do all the things that you do when you are watching Dancing with the Stars or whatever other drivel you indulge in. You can take notes, you can look up words and concepts that you don't understand -- but you must know something about one issue of merit -- not god-related for those who didn't get that. Feel however you want to feel after you have looked our issues in the face -- I don't care. If you still think the Palin/McCain's ideas for dealing with those issues are the best for our country and yourself (HONESTLY), pull the lever. Just get some facts, first, please.

I will make it exceedingly easy for you:

Bill Moyers on OIL



Bill Moyers on THE WAR



If you must, Bill Moyers on RELIGION



Thomas Friedman with Terri Gross

Thomas Friedman with Tom Brokaw (less than ten minutes)



I could go on, but I won't.