October 1, 2019
Your Vote Is Your Best Weapon Against Injustice
The right to vote is one
of the most powerful tools that the American
people have when it comes to shaping how this
country is run. Yet, some of you do not think
your vote counts, and some of you do not vote at
all. If you do not vote or think that your vote
does not count, I recommend asking yourself what
affect the following elected officials have or
could have on
your life:
In case you did not know,
all of the above-listed elected officials have a
tremendous affect on all of our lives. Those
elected officials can make decisions that will
either make our lives better or worse.
Therefore, never fool yourself into thinking
that your vote does not count. Your vote is the
most powerful weapon that you have against
injustice. If you want to be treated
fairly and with respect, you had better know who
your elected officials are and what they stand
for. When you find yourself in jail or before a
court judge, would it not be better to be facing
fair and just officers of the law and fair
judges? For those of you who complain about
police brutality and an unequal punishment
system, do you vote? Do you know who you are
voting for? Do you even know who your federal
and state senators and representatives are? If
you do not, you need to start doing some
research right now, and you most certainly need
to vote.
The mayor and/or city
council are usually responsible for hiring a
police chief. Therefore, you must fully
understand who your mayor and city council
members are
and what type of police chief they are likely to
hire. The police chief is usually responsible
for hiring police officers and for setting the
tone and operational procedures for the police
department. A sheriff is also an elected
official and is responsible for setting the tone
for the Sheriff's Department. It would be to
your advantage to know something about the
persons running for County Sheriff.
Your U.S. Senators and
Representatives are the folks who can pass or
fail laws of the land that will affect every
American citizen. You must know who these folks
are when they are running for office so that you
can vote for the person who will best represent
your interests in Washington. When you do not
vote, you are letting other people decide what
is best for you and you have no right to
complain if what you get is not what you want.
A U.S. President can put
into place numerous people to help him or her
run their administration. Some appointments must
be approved by the Senate, such as U.S. Supreme
Justices. Supreme Court Justices have enormous
power and are in place for life; therefore, you
need to be careful who you elect as President of
the United States.
Supreme Court Justices vote on laws of
the land, and they can also reverse laws that
were previously put into place. The President
also nominates candidates for other important
positions such as the Department of Education,
Department of Housing, and so forth. All of
these officials make important decisions that
affect the lives of the American people.
The most important thing
to remember is that
your vote
does count. Your vote can determine whether
a fair and just government is in place or
whether an unfair and unjust government is in
place. Exercising your right to vote gives you a
say-so in what happens in your country, your
state, and your city or town. In some countries, people
are not allowed to have anything to do with how
their government is run. You are privileged to
be able to have a say in what is going on in
America. If we are lax and do not exercise our
right to vote, we might find ourselves stripped
of our voting rights altogether. Remember, the
Voting Rights Law is a law that can be changed
or eliminated if someone decides to pursue that
avenue, and if the wrong people are in all the
right places.
Some of you only vote in
the Presidential elections, but that is
half-stepping on your duty as a citizen. You
also need to vote in state and city elections to
ensure a healthy and well-rounded government. In
many cases, your state and local government
decisions affect your day-to-day life more than
the national government.
There are a lot of
tricksters on social media these days, who are determined
to fool you into thinking your vote does not
matter, or that the political party you support
is against you. Do not let these tricksters lead
you to-and-fro with their deceptive opinions.
Think for yourself. Do your own research.
Know something about the people who are seeking
election. And, even if all of the candidates for
a particular office are not ideal, pick the
better one in the lot and
vote.
The fact of the matter is
that you, along with other voters, can impact
things for the better. You can keep corrupt
leaders from ever being elected into office!
Don't ever fall for the trickster's
okie doke---make it a rule to
always
vote!
--©Rosalin Moss Say It With Roz October 1, 2019
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