Voting

Recently I re-posted a picture I saw on Facebook, not because I agree with everything that it asserts, I've looked into similar groups as the one circulating this, and they are clearly one of the collapse the system types, but because I thought it was a funny way to state what I've felt for a long time.

In the ten years I've been of voting age, I've never voted. Now when I say that usually I get some hysterical response ranging from mild indignation to flat out rage. People say things like, "if you don't vote, you don't have the right to complain." which makes a cute bumper sticker, but it's actually complete nonsense. I mean, I've never been to a polling place before, do they stamp a card on your way out that says your first amendment rights are renewed for two years? Even people with whom I was a few minutes earlier engaged in heated debate with, who had accused me of destroying the country with my views, insisted I HAD to vote. I don't know about you, but with so much at stake, if voting made such a difference, I would just as soon see the ignorant and crazy people stay home. Of their own free will of course.

Someone commented on this thread with a famous quote, which I always thought was Winston Churchill, turns out it was Edmund Burke, a member of British parliament during the American revolution who supported the colonialists. Good guy. Anyway, the quote goes:
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing”
Who doesn't love this quote? Got to agree with that, but I'm having trouble in applying it to this specific argument.

You see, I'm not purposing doing nothing, but I also don't see how doing just anything will help either. I have never, in my voting years, seen a person of integrity on the ballot. I love my country and I have high standards for it. Every person I have ever been given the option to vote for has been a dishonest, self-serving member of the establishment aristocracy. Their goals are either radical or status quo, neither one of these comes close to what I believe is needed in this country. If I go and cast my vote for one of these candidates, I am essentially saying "I believe this person would be right for this job." or "I want this person to hold this office". I could never say that honestly, and honesty, in my own personal life is one principal that I strive to hold to very rigidly.

So how long has this quote been so well known? You can bet the forces of evil know the truth of it too. They've come up with a way around it, give the good people a pacifier. They'll go vote, feel like they've done they're duty , and no longer need to do anything, and evil can march on it's merry way. After all, by the time the choice is presented to you, dear voter, the good has long since been weeded out and whichever lever you pull is fine with evil. The hysteria is also part of this plan, the message we get from everywhere that you must vote. Wait, even if I would have to vote for someone terrible? You must vote! Even if the ballot system is rigged or broken and it wouldn't make a difference anyway? You must vote! Even if I'm a complete idiot and don't know the first thing about government, but I feel very strongly about all that politics stuff I see on Saturday night live? You must vote!

Give me a George Washington or a Thomas Jefferson and I will beat every one of you to the polls, just watch me. Until then, my time is too valuable to waste it playing this pointless game.