Thursday, just do it!

I was listening to a radio discussion t’other day about voting  and non-voting.Non-voting, it was emphasised, was a matter of choice.  You were free to vote or not vote – it was a democratic option.

I beg to differ. I used to work in an office with a woman who made a point of not joining our union. She also made a point of taking the salary increases won  from time to time by the union.

In our elections, if there’s a turn-up of 70% of those entitled to vote, it’s considered good.But note that nearly one-third of the electorate hasn’t gone to their polling centre. That’s essentially saying “I don’t want to make decisions through choosng one of my representatives.You guys decide for me. Besides, they’re all on the make, those politicians.”

That’s lazy inaction- I can’t be bothered getting my sad ass down to the voting centre – and /or the product of cynical thinking –“They’re all the same, those politicians”.

How lazy can you be that you don’ t want  to leave the house briefly and make your X? And are all postmen the same? Or all teachers? Or doctors? Obviously not, and it’d be stupid to act  as though they were. Likewise for politicians. Some politicians stink. Others work hard, have principles and appreciate that the electorate has entrusted them as their representatives.

So Thursday – park the lazy thinking, get down there and give a boost to the candidate of choice. One good question to ask yourself about the morality of an action or inaction is, how would it be if everybody acted like this?  Think about that a little: no government, no decisions regulating the society in question. Bad news.

So  assuming you’re registered, get your shapely bottom down to the polling centre and take that tiny act which shows you have a social conscience.