Thursday, June 11, 2009

A note to my friends who still don't want to vote

My friend,

I understand that voting is a right, not a duty.
I understand that in this election, and in almost any election in our dear homeland, there are barriers to entry for the type of candidates that you and I approve of.
I understand that you, have put thoughts on your decision of not participating.
And I understand and agree that your decision is personal and others should respect it.

I want to make one last point and I ask you to listen to my argument.
I assume that you and I both agree that our current president is an unsuitable person for the job. But I don't even plea to you to vote in order
to overthrow him.

My argument is this:
Voting is a right, but it is also a civic responsibility. You don't need to be poor yourself to vote for a candidate who want to support the poor. You could have good health and still support facilitation for the disabled. You don't need to be a woman to support women's right. You could be all done with your own academic education, but still stand behind somebody who promotes education. This is my point. You might have come to this decision that YOU don't want to vote under this circumstances. I want to plea to you, that you incorporate others in your decision as well. You and I have a civic responsibility towards them. Here you have a right that many don't. Our underage children don't have a say in politics and our vote will significantly affect them and their future. Some of you have kids, some of you like to have kids in future. You decision to not to vote will influence the future of your own kid. And you know it will.
We have found our ways to live in a place other than Iran, so we are immune from many of the hardships that a bad president could impose. But you most probably still have some people in Iran who you care for and whose everyday lives will be influenced by your voting now.
Voting is a Civic responsibility. Let's be altruistic in our decision, even if it imposes a hardship on our personal judgment. Please vote.

Live proud.
Vote.

3 comments:

cuckoo said...

Seems quite hopeless with some people to argue for voting, they "believe" their vote does not matter, for different reasons

Esfand` said...

:) I am impressed by the efforts and energy put by the youth of Iran specially in this elections, specially in terms of spreading awareness about the power and importance of vote, no mater how limited it is. (After all Iran is a young country)

Though the initial results are making me a little bit sad. I am not in favor of any revolutions, as I personally think that the choas caused is much more than the order attained when it ends. However, even I admire revolutions
like the orange revolution, simply because of its relatively peaceful nature and a low to nearly zero human cost.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Revolution

Lets see if the 'land of revolutions' it self surprises us with a 3rd in a single century, or are the people too tired.

Good luck!
May we all see a brighter side.

jeerjeerak said...

Dear Esfand,
Thank you for your kind words and for your sympathy. The results were a clear fraud.

Thanks also for the info on Orange revolution. I didn't know about it and it educated me.

May both our nations see better days, my friend.