Get Ready to Vote

When I was working with Independent( 1984-1998) living I really became aware of the importance of voting. Up until that time I considered voting a bit of a pin in the but. It was one of those things I knew a person was supposed to do but rarely did. Sort of like reading the Opinion Page in the news paper. Many Sundays I tried to read these page but would soon be defeated by the amount of words.

I was exposed to the political process during my time at the independent living center. I, for the first time, got a feel for the process how bad bills and legislation hurt people and specifically people with disabilities. Everything from housing to transportation seemed to be predicated on the vote. People who made major descisions effecting my life were voted into place and tended to stay there until they were voted out. I soon became involved in “Get out the vote campaigns” and I began activating for accessible polling places. Voting became a big deal for me a quasi sacred responsibility. I am now amazed that I get one hour to vote—from my employer and in other countries voting day is a national holiday. I was shocked when I over heard my boss speaking with one of our members of DD Council if he was going to vote. He replied he did not think he was going to that event was just too much bother. It was great…the whole office went silent as the staff digested what had just been said. Here was one of the Council members, granted a person with a developmental disability but high functioning, someone because of his position( even though volunteer) should be leading the charge to the voting booth tomorrow but instead was not sure if he was even going to show up. I cannot blame him for not wanting to vote for not being excited to vote; I must blame myself, I obviously have not been doing my job or life correctly to not have infected this person with a passion to take part in the electoral process.

Even though this is an “off season” election I think this election is very important nationally because the country has an opportunity to take itself back from the radical conservatives who are killing another generation of Americans as will as financially raping the poor, the elderly and the disabled of this country.

I am going to do my part. Tomorrow I am getting up early and going down to my polling place before work. I plan to be there when they open up. We have been there when the pools have opened for the past 14 years. I am usually the first name in the election log for our precinct. I am planning to vote on the new machines, the computerized system, which are to be accessible to all.

Here’s a great website( not related to voting but related to art) http://faceit.si.edu/.

I really like the way the site provides you with the head to do artsy things with. Try it…its fun…VOTE BLUE!