Voting...with skim milk, please.
Something I remember from childhood - on election days, upon returning home and changing out of her work clothes, my mother used to stick her "I Voted" sticker to the corner of her vanity mirror. Sometimes the caption varied; for school board elections they might have read "Hug me, I voted today," and I always hugged her. Clearly, she must deserve it - she'd voted. Voting was something grown-ups did and it merited receiving a sticker that one could wear all day and then display at home on the vanity mirror. To a little kid, anything that gets you a sticker is a big deal.
Voting is still a big deal to me, which is why today, as on other election days, I was up early. I was as excited as I am on birthday mornings. I only hit the snooze bar THREE times instead of the usual six or seven. I really like arriving within 5 minutes of the polls opening and seeing what number I am. Today I was number 17 while at the last primary I was number 3. That says something about the turnout at primaries, but we'll address that another time.
In any case, why is voting so exciting to me? It's the one time when I know I have a voice. When my opinion actually counts and will be counted. I'm taking an active interest in my community, and the fact that I showed up obligates those in power to recognize that my community and I exist. I work for an organization that's all about building power, and voting makes me feel powerful.
After I voted and got my sticker, I walked a few blocks to the coffee shop nearest my house and got a cup of coffee for the drive in to work. And doing that right after voting made me think about connections between the two. They're really the same thing, aren't they? By spending my money in my neighborhood I'm helping to sustain our local economy and helping show what an excellent place North Minneapolis is for small business (it really is - come check us out, entrepreneurs). By voting I'm supporting the public officials I feel strongly about and showing the powers that be that our community has a strong, vital voice that must be heard.
So get out and vote. Vote as frequently as you're allowed, and do everything you can to make your community (be it the Jewish community, the activist community, or the Victory Neighborhood community) have the biggest impact and loudest voice it can. Citizens, engage!
-Mrotzie
Voting is still a big deal to me, which is why today, as on other election days, I was up early. I was as excited as I am on birthday mornings. I only hit the snooze bar THREE times instead of the usual six or seven. I really like arriving within 5 minutes of the polls opening and seeing what number I am. Today I was number 17 while at the last primary I was number 3. That says something about the turnout at primaries, but we'll address that another time.
In any case, why is voting so exciting to me? It's the one time when I know I have a voice. When my opinion actually counts and will be counted. I'm taking an active interest in my community, and the fact that I showed up obligates those in power to recognize that my community and I exist. I work for an organization that's all about building power, and voting makes me feel powerful.
After I voted and got my sticker, I walked a few blocks to the coffee shop nearest my house and got a cup of coffee for the drive in to work. And doing that right after voting made me think about connections between the two. They're really the same thing, aren't they? By spending my money in my neighborhood I'm helping to sustain our local economy and helping show what an excellent place North Minneapolis is for small business (it really is - come check us out, entrepreneurs). By voting I'm supporting the public officials I feel strongly about and showing the powers that be that our community has a strong, vital voice that must be heard.
So get out and vote. Vote as frequently as you're allowed, and do everything you can to make your community (be it the Jewish community, the activist community, or the Victory Neighborhood community) have the biggest impact and loudest voice it can. Citizens, engage!
-Mrotzie
posted by Jewish Community Action Staff at 3:04 PM
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