No retreat, baby, no surrender

[starlady]

I can't say it any better thanoliviacirce:

"This is preaching to the choir, I know, but I think I might feel a little better if I say it, so here is my angry speech about voting:

If you are a citizen of the United States of America, and you have the option and opportunity to vote in this election, please vote. That "please" is only really there for politeness, because I'm a Midwesterner; but actually: FUCKING VOTE. That's in the imperative."

You should read the entire post.

If you can (and I mean that in every sense), go vote tomorrow, or today, or if you've already voted, thank you. If you can vote and don't, I don't want to hear you complaining for the next four years. Voting is our civic duty--people have died for the right to vote--in this country women were tortured by the government for daring to want the right to vote--Jim Crow was created specifically to deny black people their right to vote--and apathy never brought change. If voting weren't important, why are the forces arrayed against equality so eager to prevent you from doing it?


If you're interested in my thoughts on California ballot propositions, here's some of them:

- Yes on 30
- No on 32
- Yes on 34
- No on 35

I'm happy to go on about why I've decided to vote these propositions in comments. 

Four more years. Forward. Obama for America. The real one, the better one, the one that may never come to be but that we must always strive for, the more perfect union. 

Comments

[aruna7]

Thank you for this post and those quotes.

I am not American, but I have been in this exact state of mind last April/May, when we had the presidential elections in France as well.

If you CAN vote, you HAVE to vote. Simple as that.

I'll be crossing fingers and sending good vibes for Obama to remain president. :)

[oyceter]

Have mostly decided on 30 and 32 but don't know much about 34 and 35?

[starlady]

34 abolishes the death penalty in California, which is A Good Thing, I think. (Have to double-check, but I think it's 37 that ameliorates the three-strikes provisions, I'm voting yes on that too.) I've seen at least one article suggesting that if 34 passes the wind will be taken out of the death penalty sails nationwide.

35 institutes stringent online surveillance requirements for sex offenders. No one likes sex offenders, but online surveillance of anyone is bad for everyone. The EFF has a longer post about why they recommend people vote no (as does the ACLU) here: https://t.co/wK5GMw0M

[oyceter]

Gotcha, thanks! Didn't realize 34 was the death penalty one... sigh, must read up before tomorrow....

[starlady]

Yeah, me too! There's several ones down at the bottom of the list that are definite Nos (such as, counter-intuitively, the one that talks about human trafficking).

[troisroyaumes]

37 is the GMO one, not the three-strikes.

I am still kind of mixed feelings on it because while I am all for labeling and consumers' rights, everyone whose opinion I trust who has weighed in on the issue says the particular regulations proposed are a really bad and inconsistent system of labeling. :/

ETA: Another reason to vote: think of all the permanent residents, who have lived here for years and are still waiting on citizenship but can't have a say in who governs them!

[starlady]

Ah, thanks for the correction! Yes, I'm voting no on the GMO one.

[cofax7]

Please do vote Yes to validate the redistricting! If it loses, we're doomed to a return to gerrymandering! :-(

[starlady]

On which one?

[meloukhia]

It's 40:

What Proposition 40 Changes
Nothing. But it still takes a "yes" vote to keep in place the state Senate districts created by the Citizens Redistricting Commission. If Prop. 40 fails, those districts get thrown out, and the new districts would be drawn by a panel of officials appointed by the California Supreme Court.

[starlady]

Okay, thanks!

[cofax7]

Thanks for answering, I was having connectivity problems.

[ninj]

Thanks for your post. These are important days!

I miss California's ballot inniatives. The only thing we vote on in Texas is cannidates. Although, I guess in Houston they have some education/tax measures they get to vote on.