A democracy matters because, on it's most basic level, it says that every single person matters. It says that no one person is of lesser or greater importance than another. It disputes and it spits in the face of a way of thinking that had gone on for thousands and thousands of years, basically the entirety of human existence, until we came along two hundred and thirty-two years ago and said there was a better way.I hear a lot of people talk about patriotism and flags and American values but the truth is there is only one truly American value: your right to vote. It is the definition of America. It is the way we decided to define ourselves that set us apart from all the other countries in the world at that time and it is the reason we fought that first war.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Some Thoughts on Democracy and Voting
I know this might seem like an odd post, but I just had to post these really intelligent comments from the lead singer of one of my favorite bands, Adam Duritz of Counting Crows Fame. I think he really gets it right and I'm interested to see what you all think about it: (Some of the language later on in the linked page may be offensive to some)
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4 comments:
Thanks for posting this. This actually speaks to an argument that I've found a lot of currency in this election. There is the ever present question of 'Why vote when my 1 vote is statistically insignificant?' It strikes me that there's a Kantian Categorical Imperative argument here - that by voting you are affirming Democracy and by refusing you are denying it. These are basic principles, not just pragmatic decisions. Counting Crows' argument seems to fall along that line.
I agree with the comment you posted. Democracy does allow each of us to have a voice in our future. But you fail to raise the alternitive argument, the one found in Menad's article. Does every person really deserve the abilty to influnce the future? Every person, even the ignorant, even the stupid... Looking at the work of Converse, it aynt so pashut.
Daniel K,
That's why we have the electoral college. The Framers of the Constitution were concerned about letting simple men who were many times uninformed influence major decisions that would effect the United States (and I would add the world as a whole), they therefore instituted a system which would take the public's voting results into consideration,but would not be bound by those results.
I think the point Daniel K raised is a very important one, Does every person really deserve the ability to influence the future? The way it is now every citizen can potentially vote. Do we want this? Should we fear that the uneducated will make poor voting decisions and hurt this country? What about the people who know perfectly well what they are voting and vote purely in order to help themselves while at the same time hurting other Americans? I would hope that these factors are dulled due to the number of voters. But when looking at who is and isn't voting can we honestly say everyone is being represented? I believe everyone should vote and we as a country are obligated to provide the tools to make this happen.
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