Never take your right to vote for granted
I DON’T know about anyone else, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated at people who say about politicians, they are all the same, you cannot tell between them so I’m not going to vote. I beg to differ. If you spend some time viewing all the aspects of policy you will find things either you agree or disagree with.
Over the centuries people have died or been imprisoned because they had the courage to stand up and get people in their countries the vote. We had the Tolpuddle Martyrs, Emily Davison who threw herself under the King’s horse at the Derby, the Chartists and those who died at the Peterloo Massacre to name but a few, and only recently Alexei Navalny gave his life to bring democracy to Russia. To my mind, if you are not prepared to vote regardless of party you are deserting the values these people stood for.
When someone says, “Why vote, they are all the same” should we therefore not bother having a vote at all? If nothing is going to change don’t bother trying to research even a little to find the differences that benefit you, let the status quo continue ad infinitum. Who needs a democracy anyway?
The expression “we get the government we deserve” was originally penned by Joseph De Maistre as far back as the 17th century, but he was being cynical as he was a staunch royalist who felt monarchies should always rule. If, as I stated before, you are prepared to forfeit your democratic vote because they are all the same, then maybe we should give up democracy completely.
I fear we spend too much time living in the trivial, taking more time and effort on voting for celebrities on Strictly, Love Island or Big Brother, for example, than deciding who is going to control all aspects of our life such as our economic future, our social cohesion.
There are people around the world being killed fighting for the right not just to vote but enjoy the basic freedoms we say we enjoy. Mahsa Amini refused to wear a hijab in Iran and her followers say she was beaten to death by the police. She must have known that her defiance was dangerous yet still she took the risk.
All that is being asked of us is to turn up at a polling station and return home to a nice lunch or dinner.
Granted, making a reasoned choice in this day and age is daunting but have we become so cowed that we only shout at the television or, worse, accept whatever the newspapers tell us to do or the next politician on television?
One moment of joy for me recently was to see our farmers taking a leaf out of the French farmers’ book and actually do something concrete to enhance change. The French Revolution was many years ago but the spirit of fighting unfairness and taking to the street is still in the French DNA. True people power rattles governments, not just in France, but here also.
Regardless of which side of the argument you are on our panicked prime minister has been rocked by the number of marchers that have adorned our cities in recent weeks. He has tried to undermine their
voices. The voice of the people has an impact and therefore we can change the status quo.
I urge everyone, especially the young, to spend a little time reviewing the policies of all parties, make an informed judgement and with the spirit of those who have died for democracy firmly pushing you on get out and vote.
Glyn Scott, Barry