Posted by
Where's T.R. on Monday, November 03, 2008 1:30:00 PM
A question posed to me by a potential voter...Is Voting a Right, Possibly a Responsibility or a Privilege? I believe it is all of the above. When you look at the question from a historical perspective I believe that there have been stages to voting rights. If you remember your history you can determine that voting rights have evolved. The constitution does not speak specifically to the qualifications to the right to vote as the framers left that to the states and unless otherwise noted i.e. the amendments it still is. Let's take a look at the evolution of voting rights and keep it simple...Early on during the colonial period there were strict requirements based in religious beliefs (look up the Puritans), after the Constitution was ratified it was commonly known that property ownership was a qualification and of course you had to be white. Next in the evolution was the ratification of the 15th Amendment that protected voting as a result to race, color or previous condition of servitude. We move next to the 19th Amendment stating you could not bar someone from voting due to gender, the 24th Amendment restricting the use of a poll tax and the 26th Amendment which lowered the age to 18. Now although the states are still in control of voting rights you can see that the government at the federal level has stepped in on several occasions to help secure "voting rights" to all citizens. This would lead me to believe that voting is a right. (On a personal note, any state that allows any non-citizen to cast a ballot should be excommunicated from the Union.)
As to the question of responsibility... Again I have not seen anywhere writings, especially of the framers, speaking of the idea that you have to vote. If fact you could make the argument that the founders were somewhat afraid that all would vote and as a result of that fear (basically of ignorance of issues) the electoral college was implemented. Today I would find you hard pressed to find any civic minded individual making the statement that you don't have a responsibility to vote, if you meet the requirements to do so. I was always told growing up that if you were not involved in the process, even at its most basic level, voting, then you had no right to complain about the leadership. I still agree with that today.
Is it a privilege? In my opinion you better believe it. Nothing can get me more worked up sometimes than a person who does not take the opportunity when given it. Unless you have been living in a cave somewhere you know there are people risking their lives elsewhere in the world to choose those who would guide and direct the country they love as we love ours. The idea that you can go to the polls and cast your ballot without fear of losing your life humbles me that I was given by the grace of God the privilege to live here. I would almost go so far as to say it is "un-american" not to vote. All you have to do is think of every serviceman or woman who has ever put their lives out there for this privilege, if you don't how much more can you disrespect them. So, if you are old enough to vote, please do so and remember "The Truth Shall Set You Free..."