Wherein Mona Decries Apathy

Time was in this country when you had to be white, male, and a landowner to vote.

But people decided that was wrong.

Women won the right to vote in 1920, via the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

By law, African American males had had the right to vote since the 1868 passage of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, but were largely kept away from the polls by obscure sections of state constitutions, poll taxes, and threats of death.

The 24th Amendment did away with the Poll Tax.

The 26th Amendment guaranteed the rights of everyone aged 18 and over the right to vote.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 enforced equal access to voting.



SO WHY ARE PEOPLE SO APATHETIC ABOUT VOTING?????????!!!!!!!!!???????


My rant has nada to do with proper elections, that was last week’s news.

My rant has everything to do with voicing your opinion.

I’m on this committee, studying full-day vs. half-day kindergarten. (Our school district has mostly full-day, with one half-day program that is only half full.) I distributed surveys to parents of next year’s kindergarteners, asking them which program they’d prefer, if they would use a proposed half-day childcare in the school, etc. These went to nursery schools, daycare facilities, and other places where parents and 4-year olds hang out. I put out 125 surveys. I gave them an extra day to complete them.

How many surveys did I get back??

Nine.

That’s “9”.

What? The? Fuck?

Hey. Parental Units. Do you really care SO little about what your child does, the learning environment that they’ll be exposed to, that you refuse to answer even a six-question survey? What the hell is your problem? I never asked for your name. I specifically noted you wouldn’t be contacted. The surveys were confidential. And NECESSARY for the school board to make a decision that DIRECTLY involves you and your child!

I’m pissed off. I’m beyond pissed off. I’m angry at the whole system who lets that sort of thing ‘be’. Who doesn’t call folks out and chew their ass up for not voicing their opinion, for not making a difference, for just thinking ‘someone else will do it’.

Fuck you.

Fuck you and your tired little world of self-absorption.

Fuck your apathy, you little snooty bitch, you blind bastard.

I didn't ask you who you wanted to run your city, your state, your nation. I didn't ask you to decide important property tax issues or when and where folks could vote. I didn't ask you to come to the polls and push a dot out or connect the lines of an arrow or push a button on a screen. I didn't prevent you from responding with threats of death, or extortion of money, or by closing access to the means to express your opinion.

I asked you what you wanted for your child.

Plain. Simple.

When they decide to change your world, don’t come running to me asking, “Wha’ happen?”

‘Cause I fucking asked you.

And you didn’t care.