Don’t miss your chance to shape the future

Dont+miss+your+chance+to+shape+the+future

One of the oddities of our form of government, according to teaching tolerance.com, is that there are “amendments to the constitution which tell the states why they cannot deny a vote based on race gender or age, but nothing in the Constitution tells the states that they must ensure all citizens vote.”  As a result, many elections are decided by far fewer voters than are eligible.

By this year’s mid-term elections in November, many high school seniors already will be 18 years old, but may not yet see themselves as adults with a responsibility to contribute to the community. According to theodysseyonline.com, “They think that their vote won’t matter or they just don’t care.”

But, teaching tolerance.com reminds us, “With a government elected by its citizens . . . that effects every aspect of our lives, from schools to health care to homeland security, voting  is an important right in our society. By voting, you are making your voice heard and registering your opinion on how you think the government should operate.”

So it would be a good thing to encourage 17 year olds to get involved in the important issues of the country and to be prepared to vote and contribute by the time they are 18.

At the age of 18 you are legally considered to be an adult, and you have both a little more freedom (such as buying lottery tickets) but also a lot more responsibility to act like one (such as registering for the draft).  For anyone who takes his citizenship seriously, voting is critical because it decides the future of the country and choosing who will lead us into that future.