A vote; an amazing right capable of extraordinary change. Where a vote used to stand as something worth fighting for, we now see the great degree to which some people have lost sight of this fact. This power and control is a privilege taken for granted. How long ago it now seems that the forefathers of the United States waged a revolutionary war to declare their freedom from Great Britain and give the choice of government back to the people. How long ago it now seems that women marched the streets in demand of the rights of suffrage. How long ago it now seems that people of all different colors banded together to achieve their rights as equal citizens in the selection of their government.
But the truth is, that it was not so long ago. These events did not transpire in an age of dinosaurs or cavemen, they were merely generations before us. Yet, how do we repay these brave souls who fought to earn us the fundamental right of a say in society? Do we cherish our right to vote? Do we rejoice at how lucky we may be to have such opportunity? Few do. When election days rolls around, most of us, rather than excitement in the ability to take part in our government, view it as an obligatory chore.
As the Iranian presidential election rises on the horizon, many Iranian citizens find themselves not debating over which candidate to vote for, but whether to vote at all. In a state where many rights are forbidden, I find it surprising to believe anyone would turn down such a direct form of choice. Though their voting options may be limited, there are still options.
Many people have this idea that their vote is simply one of many with no effect on any outcomes whatsoever. This is a disappointment. If every person were to decide their vote made no difference, then democracy, in essence would be incapable of implementation. It is the power of singular votes which come together to form a majority; majorities do not spontaneously happen on their own.
The most prominent appeal of voting is to make our voices and opinions heard. We find candidates who seem capable of appeasing us, and through their contributions in office, shape our government. Every election has candidates of variety, though sometimes that variety may not be as abundant as we would hope. But still there is a variety, and every small step towards a change, is still a step.
Though people say that the candidates in the running for the Iranian presidency are all equally unjust or un-ideal, there are still differences among them. Preferences can still be made between different candidates, because each little bit of change brought to the table can eventually lead to big changes, or at least improve conditions subtly. Some of the people who are refusing to vote are the same ones who sit and talk of changing the Iranian government. They spend time and effort writing articles and fighting to make a difference in the country they once called home, but when that chance comes knocking on their doors in the simple form of a ballot they turn it down with excuses that they refuse to support the government they oppose, or that their votes would be pointless. Perhaps their votes put together could make some difference in their government, even if small, that their articles, etc., have not yet been able to.
Not to dismiss the significance of these persons honorable works, but as of yet, no significant change has been seen in the governing of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and these works have been simply shrugged off or blocked out by those in power. Perhaps with slow or small changes through the selection of more liberal candidates, we could reshape and reform the face of our nation.
In the end, every vote counts. Realizing how lucky we are to have this freedom of choice, this right of selection, is key to filling up our polling stations and forwarding the progress of our government. As the first to hold a right in such democracy, the ancient Greeks had a good word for those who chose to ignore their right of participation in government: idiot.
