Universal Voting or Informed Voting?

The media’s focus on the issue of low voter turnout is both overblown and just plain wrong. And so it is that I read your article “Giving a Damn About Voting” (Voices, Oct. 19) with a damn big interest.

Seven people from diverse enough backgrounds related their personal voting experiences. While all the stories were interesting at worst and inspirational at best, still, five of the seven really missed the point.

One woman told a story of true racial injustice during the voting procedures in the U.S. during the early 1950s: “And thinking about all we went through to get our right to vote, I make certain both of my sons vote, too. I tell them: ‘Doesn’t matter what else you have to do--you vote’!”

One man, a soldier, thanks to an Army helicopter unit was even able to cast his ballot during the furious fighting of the ’68 Tet offensive in Vietnam: “Apparently, I was the only voter . . . it became clear that nobody else of the hundreds of guys stationed there was going to vote. . . . Some of the officers and other guys teased me. . . . I just said, ‘Well, it’s my right.’ And to this day I always vote.”

Other stories with similar battle cries of “Everyone Must Vote” were included. Of these, one person did get the point. She had told her son, “Unfortunately, I haven’t studied (the issues) much. I’m not sure I can make an informed decision about some of the local candidates, either.”

Then, surprisingly, the woefully uninformed mother was brought up to speed on all the issues by her 11 year-old son and so, even on her very busy election day, she made the time to vote.

And finally, one last story from a 19-year-old who missed one point and got another. “I don’t think my vote would matter anyway” (missed the point) and, “by the next presidential election, I’ll be ready to vote. I’ll be more mature and more aware of the issues and informed about the candidates and the propositions” (got the point)!

The point is simply this: All votes do matter, but our future is too important to guess about.

Never vote simply because it’s your right--but only when you’re sure you’re right.

CRAIG R. RAICHE

Azusa