throwing my vote away

a few weekends ago i was discussing the election with a couple of my coworker friends. all four of the people i was with indicated they were planning on voting for Obama. i stated that, since my candidate of choice was no longer running, that i had not wholly decided on whom i was supporting, but that i was certain i would not be supporting either of the "republicrats" and that my choice was either going to be from a "third" party, or i was going to do a write in of either Ron Paul or NOTA (none of the above, for those that aren't familiar with that acronym).

then one of them says to me, "so you're going to throw your vote away". i just looked at him as if he was crazy. he then follows up, as do the others, that they are basically choosing the lesser of two evils. and these people say I'M throwing MY vote away. i don't know, but to me, consciously deciding to cast your vote for someone or something you don't believe in is a far greater example of throwing your vote away, than truly voting your convictions could ever be. call me idealistic, unrealistic, maybe even delusional, but if we all truly voted for whom and what we believed in and supported then i know this country would be a better place. politicians wouldn't be so apt to be so sleazy because they would know that they would truly be held accountable for their actions. and by actions, i don't mean what goes on in their bedrooms, but by what goes on on the senate floor and the house floor. how they vote and what sort of bills they introduce.

one of the myriad of reasons that i support Ron Paul is because he actually works. he was voted in as a congressman, and as a congressman he writes and introduces more bills than any other, as well as actually shows up to vote more often than almost any other. the man works! add to that the fact that i agree with his ideals on almost every point and we have ourselves a man i can support!

i disagree with most, if not all, of what both McCain and Obama stand for and have stood for. while i am all in favor of the concept of a black president or a female vp, the fact is, i do not agree with either of their politics.

i do not want to get too far deep into the politics of this necessarily, i just wanted to state that, if you can honestly and truly say that you fully support 90% of whatever your current chosen candidate not only says, but does (politically, that is, i really think personal lives should be personal), then i say, bravah! whether you and i agree on politics, to me, is irrelevant. i honestly envy you in a way because you have hope. hope that the beliefs and convictions that you hold dear will be championed and propagated.

but if you are one of the many that have resigned yourself to voting for the "lesser of two evils", i beg you to reconsider. the lesser of two evils is still a vote for evil. please do not throw your vote away! be as the widow with the mite and take what you may feel to be your one tiny insignificant vote and make a sound that resonates through the ages. i know you care! i know you are passionate to see a representative in office that actually represents you, so make the right choice! change does not happen overnight, and we may not win this election, or the next, or the one after that, but if we strip ourselves of hope for real change, then we have stripped ourselves of the first gift we were ever given, the gift of free will.

i believe my vote has a voice! i believe that, even though i may be small, my message is mighty! and because i live in a country in which i still have a choice and a voice and the opportunity to use these tools, i will be voting with my convictions.

and i beg you, i honestly and sincerely do not care who you choose to vote for, just vote for the one that speaks for YOU!

so, please, whatever you do, whomever you choose, do not, throw your vote away.