The Non-Right To Vote

  


Due to the election time-period, I thought it'd be appropriate to write about voting. I'm the least politically charged person I know, however I do understand topline issues that take place in our government and that's what I'd like to discuss.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was recently renewed in July 2006 which allows for the federal registration of voters in states that had 50% or less registered minority voters, rather than voters being registered by individual state or locally.

Now, the issue comes because minorities do not have a Constitutional or federal right to vote. The Voting Act of 1965 just tries to ensure that minorities won't be discriminated against when registering to vote. Our Caucasian counterparts have an implied right to vote.

I know that I, for one, have not yet voted and it's not because I'm lazy or because I don't want to. The fact is that I applied for my voting card and it was rejected for having a PO Box, which I blindly overlooked. The other reason I haven't voted is because I face an issue that many young potential voters face: I do not know the issues. With all of the voting campaigns bum-rushing the television screens in the month before the election, each candidate seems good and bad at the same time. I wish that each year someone would publish "Voting for Dummies" and outline just the basic lists where I can compare candidates.

But the truth of the matter is that candidates' past voting records are all in flux because of other surrounding political issues. For example, one candidate may vote against the right to an abortion, not because or moral issues, but because if they do that, then someone else may have promised them their vote on another bill. All of the corruption surrounding elections, as evident with candidates stealing monies for their personal campaigns, I just don't know if there really is a good candidate for any office. But, if I don't vote, I basically feel like I've neglected my duty to voice my opinion, especially since 40 years ago African-Americans and other minorities were not permitted to vote at all.

So, I think it's up to us to inform each other about the facts, or what's left of them, when these critical election periods arise. I can't "Rock the Vote" if I have no idea what or whom I'm voting for. When I read a brief op-ed article on Why We Need The Constitutional Right to Vote, a movement largely led by Rev. Jesse Jackson, I realized that:

1. I need to vote while I'm still allowed and
2. If I'm confused on who to vote for, I'm sure others are too and it's up to me to find out as much info as I can and share the unadulterated, organic facts with others before these election periods arise.

Does anyone else out there feel that they need help when it comes to voting? Is this something that affects young people, all people, or just minorities?

Not sure if anyone will respond to this one, but I just wanted to voice a few thoughts I had been having.