that the polling site was a
graciously-appointed clubhouse and not a concrete floor pavilion.As a
first-time polling manager, new to Nevada and not terribly sure of myself,
it was a welcome advantage. That is where my thoughts wandered in the dark
early morning: I was focused on getting organized, making sure the
“Accu-Vote” machine worked and that I had remember the myriad of
instructions that confront the Election Workers. I found to my pleasant
surprize that the other Election officials were experienced and flexibly
organized, and within a half hour, the site was efficiently readied to
meet what would be close to 400 voters that morning.Problems through the
day were at a minimum, and other than last minute rushes and organized
chaos when the polls closed, the day went smoothly.I believe we all saw
ourselves mundanely fulfilling civic duty, some paid, some volunteers, and
when the day closed, deservedly tired.
Towards the end of the day, however, I began to watch a little more
carefully, the whole process of elections.Both those who worked at the
polls and those who came to vote came from every walk of life, every
segment of the community. College-age students, the elderly, Native
Americans, Casino-workers, Media personalities, black and white, mothers
and fathers, blue-collar workers, and executives, in a steady stream,
making and expressing vital choices about what kind of community and state
they wish to live in; ultimately what kind of nation and world. Some
brought school-age children with them, introducing them to the process of
choosing and deciding how we will live over the next four years. Most of
see this also, as a civic duty, we comment a little wait for the results
and then either smile or grumble until the next election time.Many do not
participate at all.
As a student of the Holocaust (Shoah) I am in awe of the process of decay a society can enter into; in this century, the reasons for war are often economic when perfect freedom fails to provide a living standard appealing to most.That little voting booth, even when the choices are not monumental is the one of the few ways as an individual that one can contribute to keeping a country free.
In the genocides of the past century and a half: including those against African-Americans in the slave-trade, Native Americans in death marches, the Jews in the Holocaust, that of Po in Cambodia, or the slaughter in Bangladesh, & of the genocide in Bosnia & Ceaucescu and other Eastern Persecutions in the Soviet block the robbery of basic civil rights such as voting and access to the court systems and basic civil freedoms is always the beginning point to mass genocide: this is not overstatement or grandiose conjecture: it happened in each of the events mentioned above all but two of which have occurred in the past 60 years. The end result was the destruction not only of freedom but of virtually millions of innocent lives, countries left desolate, no one able to worship, talk or think freely and the assault against dignity. It can happen here.
In November, elections are to be held again, and I wonder how seriously we will all take that gift.Many who read this,are among the mothers and fathers, family members and friends who fought to give us that gift, or more significantly gave up love and their very heart, so that we might be able to live, worship, love and speak freely and in peace. And vote.It is an act of gratitude to visit that election site; for some of us it is an act of worship before God in thanksgiving that we live where we may freely worship and speak.Do not dare take it lightly: they are blood-bought ballots.
In 1943, one morning, in the Stadelheim Stadium , two young persons, Hans and Sophie Scholl, college students at the University of Munich, were beheaded by a guilliotine in Nazi Germany.Both had been stellar citizens, Hans, an officer in the German military, Sophie,a leader in the Hitlerjugend, or youth brigade. They were not anti-german: they loved their homeland. Their viscious crime leading to their charge of sedition and subsequent death? Distributing pamphlets on a college campus which offended the Third Reich: questioning the cruel so-called ‘euthanasia’ programs of the mentally-infirm; questioning and opposing the genocide of their Jewish neighbors and fellow students.And---in an utter act of Treason: painting the word “Freedom” on the walls of the avenue leading into the University of Munich.They cast their ballot after all ballots were denied. It was a blood-bought ballot. ________***__________
Do we realize where we stand today in our own nation? We are threatened by Arab-terrorism and massive illegal immigrations bringing in not only persons with just cause but bringing in the drug trade; and special–interest foreign terrorism from the IRA to Communism. Domestically, we are confronted by white Aryan groups, the militia and patriot movement all of whom see themselves as the true America and wishing to take the reigns in order ensure their freedoms and no one elses.Groups in opposition such as the Black Islamic Fundamentalists led by such as Farrakhan, strive for a superior position based upon race and religion.Dozens of other special interest groups have moved into position in business and economics, and our strong unified foundations of tolerance and justice have been eroded in an encroaching uncertainty and struggle for control taking pre-eminence over any concern for basic civil liberties.The events surrounding the destruction of the WTC have taught us all of the vague uncertainties of life. Nothing lasts forever.
Your ballot will matter more than almost anything you can do in the next election.Your stand for your beliefs may cost you more than you are willing to give. It is a point in History where deciding not to take a stand leads to destruction. You have been given the utter grace of voting in peacetime; without bloodshed. How could we not take it seriously? You do not dare to do otherwise. This is our legacy of blood and ballots; that small act, bought with the price of Life: a blood-bought ballot.