Vote
Tuesday is time for mid-term elections. It is an essential, if not the essential foundation of American Democracy.
“Voting is something that we all have a right to do. It’s not something that we have to do…it’s absolutely an honor and a great opportunity to be heard.” ~Grace Potter
Watching a recent interview with Otis Moss Jr., theologian, activist, author, speaker and son of Otis Moss Sr., who, dressed in his best suit and tie walked 18 miles to proudly exercise his right to vote for the first time, only to be denied. Pastor Otis Moss Jr. stated in that interview, that to not vote is a sin, to prevent people from voting is a crime and a sin.
“Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” ~FDR
“The most significant civil rights problem is voting. Each citizen’s right to vote is fundamental to all other rights of citizenship and the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960 make it the responsibility of the Department of Justice to protect that right.” ~Robert Kennedy
The 14th, 15th and 19th Constitutional Amendments were hard fought for and hard won. The 14th Amendment was ratified in July, 1868, the 15th was ratified in February 1870 and the 19th, granting American women the right to vote, was enacted in 1920 when the Republican Party regained control of Congress in 1919.
People of different ethnicity, color, religion and gender, fought for decades to secure the privilege of voting for all citizens of the United States. This honor has been seriously taken for granted as evidenced by our on-going plague of voter apathy.
“Not voting is not a protest, it is a surrender.” ~Keith Ellison
Expanding on the statement Pastor Otis Moss Jr. made last week, I would add that not voting is a sin and a crime against all those who made tremendous sacrifices to secure for future generations the right to vote.
Participate in our Democracy…VOTE!
Blessings!
