The right to vote is one that is sometimes restricted or compromised by those in power, prayed and fought for by those without that right, and neglected by those who feel their vote doesn't count. I used to be one of the latter. I am a Young Black Male, raised in the eighties and nineties, and until the last election, I too neglected my right to vote. At eighteen I had the right to register to vote, but didn't. I missed the 1996 election that granted Bill Clinton his second term because I neglected this right to vote. I thought to myself, 'damn you're ignorant', so I registered to vote, and missed a chance to vote on local issues in 1998 including the mayoral race, because I didn't "feel like" going to the library and poking a few holes in a card to voice my opinion on the future of my city.

The irony is that though I want change, I was not willing to take the first steps to change which is to vote. Voting is the way the average man or woman has to change our laws or our leaders in this country. This democracy is ran by elected officials voted into power by the people, the people who choose to vote that is. Many years ago Blacks didn't have the right to vote because society did not see us as people, and thought we didn't deserve the right to have a say in what goes on in this country. The civil rights movement brought forth protests, hardships, and the deaths of many people who fought hard for us to be treated equally and have this right to vote.

Fast forward to the 2000 election. A historic race for the presidency to say the least. This election marked the end of the Bill Clinton's second and final term as president. This was a very important election as the opposing sides had very similar stances on many issues and complete opposites on bigger issues such as abortion, education, and taxes. George W. Bush was the ultra-conservative Republican, and Al Gore the liberal Vice President and Democratic nominee. Check the resumé. George Bush was juiced into
 

© THUNDER 01.01.2001