I’ve always had an inkling, just a tiny feeling that (some) white men in America rue the day when women and minorities were given the right to vote. And here’s what may shock you — I don’t think it’s because of any huge plot to keep the black man down or to keep women in the kitchen. I think it’s a belief some white men have that they, and they alone, know what’s best. And if they could just get the rest of us out of their way, they could make decisions that would benefit all of us.

And you know what? I would never agree, but I have to (hate to) admit that I understand.

The right to vote is a powerful thing. Although, I know that there are many who believe that a vote doesn’t matter, that the system is rigged anyway, that the president is just a figure head for the “real” government that is run in a room below the White House and Dick Cheney has been the real president for the last 109 years….

I know all the conspiracy theories and I could make up a few others on my own. But those theories are just that — conjectures that aren’t true. Our government is pretty much what you see – it is what it is. Yes, of course, there are things that have been done to rig the system, but so much of that rigging has been out in the open — gerrymandering, reducing the number of polls, eliminating voters’ names from rosters, all of that kind of stuff that can be traced back to us, the voters, not paying attention and not caring until it’s way past too late.

But getting back to the point — even with some of the back room deals, even with Citizen’s United (which must be overturned, but that’s a different blog) our votes are real, and our votes are powerful. Our votes determine more than who ends up in office, our votes determine policy — educational (school vouchers or not) fiscal (increased taxes or not), social (the right to choose or the right to life). Of course, those so few examples. Our votes count for so much because who you put in office will determine everything from changing a street name in your city to school curriculums, and especially, the city and state services that you receive. Your vote truly helps to set the course of your district, your city, your state, your nation.

That’s why I understand those white men.

Because why would you give all of that power to people who are uninformed? Why would you give that power to people who don’t watch the debates because they’re boring (and Love & Hip Hop is on)? Why would you give that power to people who have no idea of the issues and how the issues will affect their lives? Why would you give that power to people who don’t know their Congressperson nor their Senator…or worse, people who don’t know the difference?

I’ve never had a white man say the above to me; like I said, it’s an inkling. And also like I said, I don’t agree with them. We live in a free country so everyone has the right to be as uneducated and as uninformed as they want.

But just like we shouldn’t put the power of a gun in the hands of people who aren’t prepared to use it correctly, our power to vote should come with some responsibility, too. And that responsibility is to vote, vote often, vote wisely and do the work so that your vote does count.

vcm