In an opinion article written by Starr T. Balmer in the Aug. 29 edition of the Daily Forty-Niner, she is quoted as saying “We should not leave the important decision making just to the educated and ‘well read.'” In my opinion, this is exactly what should be done.
I am not talking about people with doctorates in politics and law. I simply refer to those who know what’s going on, who or what they are voting for and have a solid sense of their own political views.
Balmer also wrote, “For instance, women and African-Americans for years were not allowed to vote. Both groups were told they were not smart enough to make intelligent and responsible choices, but that was only because they were kept away from the necessary resources.”
She continues, “So of course, the forefathers ‘knew’ the general population did not know what was going on.”
It is true that the American Revolution was orchestrated from the top down. However, the forefathers did not need to “keep them from finding out information” because they simply disenfranchised unpropertied males in addition to women and African-Americans. However, this has absolutely no bearing today.
All United States citizens over 18 are allowed to vote. Public libraries and the Internet allow for an unprecedented venue of resource for anyone who chooses to avail themselves of the opportunity.
With all of this said, everyone should participate, and they don’t. One of the biggest reasons people don’t vote is because they don’t register. It may sound illogical, but those of you who put off homework know the feeling: not wanting to do something that doesn’t feel important at the moment. I realize that low voter turnout and abysmal political participation are not due to our malevolent forefathers or to class differences. It is simply because people don’t feel that it is all that important.
– Justin Brown is a freshman civil engineering major.