Consider the Source

Although I am happy with the outcome of the recent election, this Closing Argument’s timing is terrible. Nonetheless, its inspiration came from my more frequent use of twitter as of late. As the semester creeps closer to finals, Twitter makes the perfect distraction from studying. My compulsive twittering has produced both positive and negative results. The negative, I am wasting precious study time scaling through the twittersphere and my tweets really do not contribute any benefit to society whatsoever. In contrast, I mostly only follow economic, political, news, and science outlets and I enjoy reading all articles posted by those I follow. Therefore, neglecting my studies to tweet has not been entirely bad. After all, I am broadening my knowledge, right? Well, I guess that all depends on the credibility of the source. Thus, this Closing Argument’s intension is to “consider the source”, so to speak, and to express the importance of general knowledge dispersed among the citizens of this fine country.

Normally, when I am presented with an issue, I typically study the problem intensely and will quickly form a stance or solution on how [I think] it should be resolved. However, when I take my newfound knowledge to the streets hoping to find another apprehensive citizen to discuss these current issues with they either have no idea what I am talking about or they simply do not care. The most appalling behavior I could ever fathom was a girl at a tailgate recently who admitted to NEVER voting because she “didn’t see the point”. Although, at that time I felt compelled on behalf of Susan B Anthony, Lucy Stone, and other heroic women in history, to punch this young woman in the face. I refrained from violence because I am actually grateful that this girl does not vote. She obviously is clueless and she would merely cancel out the vote of someone who actually gave it some thought.

Today, many people agree that it is in fact pointless to vote. To these people, I would like to make one thing clear; it is only pointless if you do not know of whom you are voting. That is to say, that you did not give it any prior consideration, really research the candidates, and make an educated decision based on your beliefs and situation. I am sure there are many people who disagree with me and believe everyone should vote no matter what. However, for those individuals who look for the “R” or the “D” on the ballot and refuse to give it any more consideration than this, you are just wasting your time and hindering the voices of those who actually are passionate about the outcome and direction of our country.

Sidebar: If you are guilty of these actions (described above) then by giving up your right to vote you are also giving up you right to complain about our current economic state or anything else for that matter. By refusing to vote, you are allowing the fate of our country to reside in the hands of others.

If you are a regular voter, then I encourage you to forget about the beliefs of your heritage, the past, and all news/ media outlets, and conduct your own research on each candidate or proposition that will be presented. Know before you go! Take the time well before Election Day to understand everything that will appear on the ballot and decide in advance how you will cast your vote. Today, we have the resources to conduct this type of search within minutes, so it really isn’t as time consuming as you may expect. Don’t have a computer? Well, your local library should so make the extra effort, especially if you intend to vote. Most importantly, media sources can and do push their own beliefs and agendas so when you conduct your research make sure it is from a creditable source. A prime example of this is many of the tea partiers and candidates like Sarah Palin [come to mind]. Whether you like Sarah Palin or not, a lot of what she says is taken out of context and this is more outrageous to me than anything else. By taking her [or any politicians] words out of context people are being misled of their true intellect.

Verdict: Do not believe all that you hear/read and conduct your own research. It is sad, but sometimes we have to find sources outside of our own country to understand what is really going on within it. In the 2008 election, Obama’s campaign was ran beautifully and I am not surprised at all, he won. However, the vague terminology of “hope” and “change” were widely endorsed without any actual knowledge of what kind of “change” he was referring to. Always remember John Adams famous quote based on the structure of our government: “Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people.”