“Take a look at Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, China many of these citizens don’t have the option to change the society they live in. While us Americans have the
privilege of practicing our freedom of speech…”
By Adriana Perez
When I was merely 5 years old living in the Dominican Republic I vividly remember politics being undeniably systemically woven into Dominican society. You couldn’t escape the constant political propaganda advertising the latest corrupt politician promising false hopes and dreams. It was evident at the time that Dominicans were fed up; fed up of voting for electives that did nothing but cause collateral damage and take advantage of their political influence.
Now living in the United States I never really understood the importance of exercising political autonomy until I realized how many people living in these governments have historically been silenced and exploited. Witnessing that harsh reality made me understand the importance of participating in these political discourses. It’s not only a matter of participating in these tough conversations but it’s a matter of taking action by reading up on the issues, candidates, and researching the ballot all constitute the responsibility as a citizen voter. It’s not only an individual voice, with many others, in unison, your vote along with others have the everlasting power to change the direction of a community, state, and nation. In consequence, the argument most nonvoters make stating that their vote really doesn’t count becomes invalid and unjustifiable excuse to not vote. It creates inexcusable absence.
In America’s democracy, we value our civil right to choose who is in office and what policies get passed. However, when less than half of the country is voting regularly, we have to ask ourselves two things: Are we fulfilling our civic responsibility as American citizens and are we truly living in a democratic government?
The answer is No. The way millennial’s and marginalized populations normalize political absence is not only abhorrent, but canceling and ignoring these political dilemmas has removed the whole purpose of a democracy. Dismissive attitudes and silence cause more than just intergenerational absence it creates a hierarchy of opinions, and those who are consistently voting are the ones reaping the benefits of this democratic system all of us seem to be frustrated by. When we remove ourselves from the electoral process especially those who are not favored by this system need to retaliate by voting for those policies that will not only uplift their impoverished communities but it will initiate conversations highlighting the voices of these people who have historically been silenced.
While I realize that this system is flawed in many aspects I have come to terms that being persistently angry at this legal system is counterproductive. I have noticed that I, unlike citizens living in different countries don’t have the privilege to engage in the policies that affect them. When you take a look at Venezuela, North Korea, Cuba, China many of these citizens don’t have the option to change the society they live in. While us Americans have the privilege of practicing our freedom of speech and being fortunate enough to live in a government that enables and encourages us to voice our opinions. With that privilege in hand, it is important for us minorities to exercise our democratic power and make these electives accountable for our economic and social development.
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