Let me preface this post by saying that I'm taking a big risk by posting this and that ignorance knows no ethnicity, education level or background. With those things being said, let me just hop right up on my soap box and tell you all about a nice little conversation I had the other night with a civilian contractor who was waiting for a flight out of the country. I'm sure most of you know that the Democratic National Convention has been going on in Denver, CO the past two days and if you don't what rock are you living under?? Anyway, I'm sitting in the terminal on my laptop listening to the convention via the tv over my shoulder when the afore-mentioned contractor starts to ask me questions, random questions that I don't even remember now. He then lands on the topic of the convention on tv. He states that he didn't like either of the candidates and was not going to vote. I stared at him in disbelief at what I was hearing. Was this guy SERIOUSLY saying this to a service member in uniform serving her country in IRAQ??!!!! I asked this guy if he was serious and he said yes he was. I asked him why he wasn't going to vote and he again said that he didn't like either candidate so why bother? Why bother I asked him??!!! This is where things start to get ugly. I told him he should "bother" to vote because it's his duty and his right and I pointed to my uniform and I said "I wear this and sit where I am so that you CAN vote". This didn't seem to phase this man one bit. He then proceeded to tell me that since his candidate of choice did not make it he didn't see the point to vote now. I asked him if he voted in the primary to get his candidate a little closer and he said No. Even uglier now. I then told him that since he didn't find it necessary to even try to get his candidate in the race, then he really didn't have any room to complain about the two that were voted in. He then tried to tell me that he voted in the last election and it didn't go his way and he still hasn't seen any change so why bother again? Is this guy serious!!???? Unfortunately, there are wayyyyy too many people out there that think the way this obviously mis-informed person thinks. I told him I was done having that conversation and I was going to shut up before I got myself into trouble. I was appalled at his audacity to sit there and tell a uniformed service member there is no point in voting!!!! OMG!!! What the hell has this country come to?? Has the current administration poisoned the minds of Americans this badly that they feel there isn't anymore hope at all??????
On a side note, the frat issue was basically swept under the rug and the two in question were basically just given a slap on the wrist and told to knock it off. Nice huh??
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8 comments:
yikes. my head would have exploded, good for you for keeping both eyeballs in their sockets.
What is wrong with people? People like this make me want to climb under the rock you mentioned!
I had a roommate in college that used to complain about Bill Clinton. But, he never voted, I used to tell him the same thing you told that contractor. If you don't vote you don't have a right to bitch if you don't like how things are going.
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 08/29/2008 News and Personal dispatches from the front and the home front.
I understand your outrage because it is outrageous not to vote in a free society. I take voting seriously. That said, politically speaking, what we want are voters voting for the right candidate. If he was a leftist, I'd rather he didn't vote at all. So, what would be a more advised way to relate to someone who says they ain't voting? First, ask him what his politics was, and if he might vote correctly (for McCain), then say something to persuade him, gently.
I applaud you! I'm not even in the military, but my best friend is. I would have flown off the pan handle with that guy!!!!!! Just thinking about it pisses me off!
Don't take it to heart. There are people in America who take it seriously, and are praying and supporting our troops!!!!!
I will proudly say I am one of them!
Hiya Navy, just found you via GI Kate. Thanks for the blog and for your service.
I have never missed a vote whether deployed or stationed overseas. I'm guessing you're a SeaBee from reading your profile. Just left Keesler AFB in February; never seen so many swabs on an air force base in my life. I'm adding you to my blogroll and invite you over to my place anytime. Keep the faith sister and yer powder dry.
People like that piss me off. Anyways you have a great blog, I only hope you keep updating it and when I get out of boot camp I can read much more. I have yet to read through and perhaps see what rating you have.
Thank you for serving our Great country I can only hope to follow in your footsteps.
Now I totally understand that your fighting for freedom or rights to vote or whatever reason you thinking you're there. I have nothing but respect for military personnel. I did my time, in fact, my girlfriend is still in the Marine Corps on IRR. Now that being said you're wrong on this. Why should you encourage somebody to vote just to vote if they don't like the choices? Would you expect somebody to choose "would you like hit in the face with a baseball bat, or hit in the face with a brick?" No, you wouldn't. There are many reasons for people not to vote and not all of them are invalid. If people just go on voting because they can it's just a flip of the coin which idiot gets in based on little or no useful qualities. Many people who do vote just because they can haven't the slightest idea of the overall picture. Voting for a President based on knowledge of one issue is wrong too. They should be informed but if they aren't that's where the wrong lies. Voting shouldn't be a right it should be something each individual must earn. An IQ test should first have to yield reasonable results, then an issues awareness test must also score oh say 80%. Based on your conversation with this guy maybe his reasons for not voting weren't good but you cannot say that this is absolutely never excusable.
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