Our Role and Responsibility... To Vote

A week from today is Election Day. If you are like me, the best thing about that may be that it will bring to an end the relentless television and print ads, internet websites and blogs, and the never-ending junk mail, posters, billboards and signs. Sadly, most of this information is negative and focuses on criticizing candidates rather than educating voters. While I know no one who admits to enjoying these ads or determining their choices of candidates by this negative approach, the candidates persist in flooding our senses with these sound and sight bites.

In addition, if you are like most voters, the entire campaign season is a negative experience. We all can’t wait until it is over. But if you are like most eligible voters, you will also make a very big mistake … that is ...you will not exercise your right and responsibility to vote on November 7th, Election Day. This is especially true with a mid-term election like 2006. I implore you to take the time and energy to vote. It will take some additional effort, but it is critically important to you and to our country.

With the persistent “noise” that surrounds us from the politicians and the political groups and the numbing impact it all has on our senses, voting will require you to do some work. First, you need to think about your values, your concerns, your priorities. What do you believe about taxes, education, jobs, social security, health care, the War in Iraq, national security, the economy, social and family issues, etc? It is imperative that you determine your own views on these issues, and not let your position be determined and too easily influenced by the rhetoric of the candidates.

Second, you need to find out the actual positions of the candidates. You need to determine the facts, not opinions. This will not likely happen through TV ads, newspaper ads, and sound bites. You will need to read analyses of candidate positions in newspapers, read websites and reports on candidate voting records, listen to speeches, etc. Candidates often try to keep our understanding of their positions to superficial levels and clichés. You need to have a deeper understanding of where the candidates stand on the key issues of the day.

Third, you need to decide which of the many issues are the most important to you. It is unlikely that any candidate will share all of your views or support all of your positions. So it is important that the candidate you support represent your views on the most important issues … the most important issues for the city or the state … the most important issues for the country … the most important issues for you and your family.

Finally … VOTE. Take the time next Tuesday to exercise your right and responsibility to cast your ballot and participate in the democratic process. It is your right and responsibility as an American citizen. It is also your right and responsibility as a member of the Ohio Dominican University community. Whether you are a student, alumni/ae or friend, you believe in liberal education. At its core, liberal education is about thinking, analyzing, being critical in our analysis, making decisions. Whether you are a student, alumna/us, or friend, you believe in our responsibility to act … to act for the Common Good … to assume our role and responsibility as an active citizen.

Your vote is important. Your willingness to work hard to navigate the maze of messages, communications, information and misinformation is important. Each one of us is responsible to shape the future of this country and our world. Join me in exercising your American right by voting at the polls next Tuesday.

I’m interested in hearing about any conclusions you may have drawn about this year’s election season experience. As always, I invite your comments, questions and ideas.