Get up and go VOTE!!!

Today is such an important day in our country’s future and I just wanted to take a minute and encourage all of you to go vote. It doesn’t matter if it takes all afternoon, look at it like a partial free day from work. It doesn’t matter if you are sick, perhaps they will let you cut in line. It doesn’t even matter if you are voting for McCain (which I hope you’re not). The important thing is that you exercise your RIGHT.

It honestly drives me nuts when people say that their vote doesn’t matter. Well if that were the case, then what is the point of having a democratic society? Why not just let a dictator take over and make the decisions for you? Your vote DOES matter….yes, you are one person, but paired with peers and fellow patriots, your opinions are grandioso. Just think of how amazing it is to be able to openly voice your opinion against the popular belief without having to fear sever repercussions as others do in not-so-free-countries.

I’m not one who is big on politics. Never really have been. The one time I remember actually keeping up on topics was during my junior year in high school when I took a U.S. Government class with Mr. Bailey. Although I have mostly long forgotten what I knew then, the one thing that did stick with me was just how important it is to vote. I remember turning 18 two weeks after the 2002 local elections and being so bummed that, finally I was into the whole thing, I couldn’t vote that year. The last presidential elections were a blow for me too as I didn’t like either Bush or Kerry. But not this year. I may not be living in Gringolandia right now, but I know my vote matters, and I know how important it is for our country to see a great change. And that is why I voted absentee style. So if I can do it, all the way from Chile, you sure as hell can take 30 minutes, or heck even a few hours from your day, and GO VOTE!!!

One other topic that I’d like to touch on is this Prop. 8 in California that would ban gay marriage. I’m not from California. In fact, I’ve spent a whole whopping 3 days in the state before….but I think it is a SUPREMELY important that those in Cali vote NO on Prop. 8. Whether you agree with being gay or not, this is not about that--this is about everyone in our country having the same right to marry the person they love. The following two links both eloquently and matter-of-factly describe why it should not be passed and I totally agree with them, so please check 'em out for more info on SAYING NO TO PROP 8:

A Practical Wedding’s “Say No to Prop 8”
Don’t Call Me Gringa’s “Write to Marry Day”

I forgot to mention one other thing: Many people think that the race has already been one (by the Obamanator, of course) and so they don't feel the need to go add another vote for him--WRONG. The race is NOT over, and EVERY SINGLE vote STILL matters...so please, please, please get out there and vote!!!!