Voting
When it comes to voting, my sentiments are similar to Laura's,
I always find that, when I'm in the elementary school gym or church hall or wherever the local polling station is, I'm really struck by just how fortunate we are to even have these universally accessible public places in the first place, to have so many people interested and committed enough to run the whole process on a non-partisan basis in the second case, to have universal suffrage in the third place, to have four different national parties presenting credible versions of a Canadian future in the fourth place, and to have the whole system run peacefully, without a need for armed guards or onerous oversight procedures in the fifth place. It all amounts to a minor miracle, and it boggles my mind that anyone could take it all so much for granted as to stay home and not bother voting.
It's also a good time to remember that, whether in Trinity-Spadina or Peace River, Vancouver Centre or Abbotsford, the things that unite us, the continuing quest for peace, order and good government, are far stronger than the things which divide us. And it's our job, more than anything else as citizens, to ensure that we preserve our democracy and that we hold our government, whatever party it may be from, to a deep respect for all of the people of this country and for the shared principles that stretch from one ocean to another.
----
(Calmly Analytical, then Angry, now Saccharine ... It's just an emotional roller-coaster at CAtO around election time!)
"I love walking the streets and seeing the signs (especially since in Van Quadra most of them are Liberal signs [ed. - mostly Svend here in Van Centre]). Then I just get so hyped up filling out my ballot -- reading all the names, rechecking to make sure I put the X in the right place, given the two Stephens on the candidate list -- and having the poll clerk rip off the little strip and then stuffing it in the box. It's just so great! It's worth the rain and the cold and the work and the stress. Maybe, just maybe, it's even worth Stephen Harper."
I always find that, when I'm in the elementary school gym or church hall or wherever the local polling station is, I'm really struck by just how fortunate we are to even have these universally accessible public places in the first place, to have so many people interested and committed enough to run the whole process on a non-partisan basis in the second case, to have universal suffrage in the third place, to have four different national parties presenting credible versions of a Canadian future in the fourth place, and to have the whole system run peacefully, without a need for armed guards or onerous oversight procedures in the fifth place. It all amounts to a minor miracle, and it boggles my mind that anyone could take it all so much for granted as to stay home and not bother voting.
It's also a good time to remember that, whether in Trinity-Spadina or Peace River, Vancouver Centre or Abbotsford, the things that unite us, the continuing quest for peace, order and good government, are far stronger than the things which divide us. And it's our job, more than anything else as citizens, to ensure that we preserve our democracy and that we hold our government, whatever party it may be from, to a deep respect for all of the people of this country and for the shared principles that stretch from one ocean to another.
----
(Calmly Analytical, then Angry, now Saccharine ... It's just an emotional roller-coaster at CAtO around election time!)
posted by Declan at
Monday, January 23, 2006
3 Comments:
As I dragged my four year old to the voting booth, trying to explain to him again just what we were doing (and with some regularity, given federal/provincial/civic elections), I got a little saccherine myself. I still get ridiculously proud. I want to shake people's hands, or something.
By
Anonymous, at 9:17 PM
"I want to shake people's hands, or something."
Yeah, that really captures the feeling well.
By
Declan, at 9:25 PM
I admit that when I first read this post yesterday, I thought, "Well, that's sweet, but a bit mushy for my taste." But then as I was watching the results come in last night, I was overwhelmed with such love for this country that I completely surprised myself - I had expected I'd be tense, or frustrated, or angry, but mostly I was just filled with joy and pride. Not at the actual results so much as the process.
By
Anonymous, at 2:41 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home