Letter to the Editor (please do not copy-edit this yet –pm)

Voting has been a given right for most American’s since 1790 and people have worked hard in order to gain the right to vote, especially women who only gained that right in 1924. As a response to the “Alternative Voting” article posted last week, I was seemingly disappointed and more so appalled by the fact that the article condoned ignorance in place of education. As American’s we are lucky to have the right to vote, something not many other people in the world have the right to do. I, as a voter, take it upon myself to be educated and know the issues that plague our country so that I as a voter can help elect a politician to help fix the issues that people volunteer for diligently. I am not saying voting solves the world’s problems, no, but it’s certainly the best place to start. Since our tax dollars fund the government and their inter-workings, voting a politician in to government that wants to put that money to good use is the luxury of the voting system.Now, I am not saying you have to vote, that is your given right, but what I am saying is that the process of voting, the self-education of the issues that have fallen upon our country and which politicians views what which way is an important part of the voting process. Not only is it important to educate yourself, saying that you’d rather volunteer somewhere and say that that education is too much work is the reason why our voter turn out is only about 57%. To better our community, it starts with electing officials that care enough about our country, state, districts, and precincts ect to improve them. Yes, you can volunteer your money and time on issues, but we as a people can only do so much to improve cancer research or earthquake relief. Most of the burden rests on the politicians we elect to office.

I was glad so many people found flaws in the previous article of last term commenting on the fact that neither party really captured your interest. Which, I believe is due to the lack of effort taken to take interest. It is up to the voter to take initiative and find out the issues and how candidates respond the certain issues. What’s next? Saying that paying taxes are too hard because making sure that our economy and wellbeing is just not interesting enough? It’s articles like “Alternatives to Voting” that tell the world that Americans are ignorant to the issues of the world. By not voting you have removed your right to talk on behalf of those that do. Volunteering and helping with issues that affect us are important, but there is no alternative to voting that can help our country or the world more.

–Alexander Kohnstamm