Vote or DIE!!! Or at Least Quit Your Whining.
I was watching the news recently with a friend from Zambia. The program was covering the Jack Abramoff scandal, and at one point my friend exclaimed, “Oh, I love America! Checks and balances are wonderful!” Ever since I was a little girl I have had an appreciation for the system of democracy, but I have never - ever - been consumed by the type of passion that Bwalya exhibited that day. Of course I have never experienced the debilitating corruption of Uganda’s Idi Amin, the Congo’s Mobutu Sese Seko, or the modern day “democratic” dictators like Zimbabwe’s Mugabe. Nor have I known how the less sensational day-to-day corruption can cripple a state and its attempts to alleviate poverty and bring a voice to its people. As I sat beside my friend and really let this sink in I began to wonder if perhaps, in spite of my strong belief in the importance of being active in the political process, I was missing something key. I wondered if my cynicism - God forbid - had got the better of me.
As I took another look at our system that day, I let go of some of my distrust of politics. Sure, the grip of money on the political process, most notably the cost of running a campaign and the influence of corporate lobbyists, is a serious problem. As John McCain reminds us repeatedly, it undermines the democratic process because a democracy exists to serve all the people, not just those with gobs of money to spend. Another problem we have in this country is low voter turnout, which has consistently lagged behind much of the rest of the developed world. Unsurprisingly for any observer of modern American culture, apathy, or the belief that one’s vote doesn’t matter, and a “lack of time” seem to figure most prominently in the decision not to vote. In spite of these problems, I could see that we really should be proud of our democracy.
And that’s why something that has always bothered me began to gnaw at me as I sat beside my friend, choosing to be thankful rather than cynical. It was the fact that so many of us undermine the system Bwalya had every reason to be passionately excited about. We do this when don’t take seriously our duties and responsibilities as citizens of a democratic country. Most of us say that the reason we’re so unmotivated to act is that it “doesn’t make a difference anyway.” In informal polls among my friends this is the biggest complaint: politicians are so mired in the political hoopla and so tied to special interests that they don’t listen to the needs of the people. My response? Talk to Bwalya. And in the meantime, quit yer whinin’ and do something about it.
Plain and simple, if elected officials don’t represent our needs it’s because we don’t let them know what they are. For a democracy to work - in other words, for democracy to serve the wishes of the people - citizens must be involved. Doing something rather than complaining. This means being informed about the issues, learning about the candidates, going to the voting booth, and significantly, continuing to interact with these members once they’ve entered office.
As the following excerpt form the State Department website reminds us, the life we enjoy depends on our participation.
Unlike a dictatorship, a democratic government exists to serve the people, but citizens in democracies must also agree to abide by the rules and obligations by which they are governed. Democracies grant many freedoms to their citizens including the freedom to dissent and criticize the government.
Citizenship in a democracy requires participation, civility, and even patience.
Democratic citizens recognize that they not only have rights, they have responsibilities. They recognize that democracy requires an investment of time and hard work — a government of the people demands constant vigilance and support by the people.
Democratic citizens know that they must bear the burden of responsibility for their society if they are to benefit from its protection of their rights.
There is a saying in free societies: you get the government you deserve. For democracy to succeed, citizens must be active, not passive, because they know that the success or failure of the government is their responsibility, and no one else’s. In turn, government officials understand that all citizens should be treated equally and that bribery has no place in a democratic government.
In a democratic system, people unhappy with their leaders are free to organize and peacefully make the case for change — or try to vote those leaders out of office at established times for elections.
Democracies need more than an occasional vote from their citizens to remain healthy. They need the steady attention, time, and commitment of large numbers of their citizens who, in turn, look to the government to protect their rights and freedoms.
Citizens in a democracy join political parties and campaign for the candidates of their choice. They accept the fact that their party may not always be in power.
° They are free to run for office or serve as appointed public officials for a time.
° They utilize a free press to speak out on local and national issues.
° They join labor unions, community groups, and business associations.
° They join private voluntary organizations that share their interests — whether devoted to religion, ethnic culture, academic study, sports, the arts, literature, neighborhood improvement, international student exchanges, or a hundred other different activities. All these groups — no matter how close to, or remote from government — contribute to the richness and health of their democracy.
No matter how boring some of this might seem, I think my friend Bwalya, and millions like him who know what a life deprived of freedom feels like, would jump at the chance to be heard by people who make the decisions. Because he knows it does make a difference. Though lacking the experience that motivates him we would do well to adopt some of his passion and let it inspire our involvement in the political process.
Significantly, though, we must remember that the political process is not our God, and it is not the ballot box that will inaugurate God’s kingdom. Christian voters have turned out to vote in record numbers in recent years to do what they see as God’s bidding. Leaving aside all discussion of the particulars of the issues themselves for a moment, a principle of greater value deserves discussion. As we head to the polls we would be wise to remember that our allegiance is to Christ and our hope lies in a Heavenly Kingdom. Rather than trying to build the Kingdom on earth through a worldly process we should be focused on Christ’s teachings and His way of accomplishing His purposes. For Jesus conquered the world not through political or worldly power - which he consistently rejected - but through the power of humble service and sacrifice. And as he ate with his disciples for the last time before he went to his death, he commanded us to do likewise (John 13:14).
I, for one, must ask myself where I place the bulk of my time, energy, and concern when it comes to these issues. Do I pay more attention to politics or to loving my neighbor? Talk radio or actively trying to forgive those who have wronged me? As participants in God’s work here on earth we grow in love, compassion, and humility towards our neighbors and enemies as we daily sacrifice and serve both those that we love and those who frustrate us, those we cherish and those we despise. Following in Jesus’ path of sacrifice and service is our highest call. It is here that we should place our greatest effort and hope - not in a candidate, or an issue, or the ballot box - but in Jesus.
Posted on November 1, 2006 12:00 AM
