twenty-three

Just finished up my absentee ballot for the 2006 elections. As I think about the process I’ve just engaged in, I am amazed at how fortunate I am to live in the age that I do, while at the same time how completely out of touch I am with my world and the goings-on of government.

It is fascinating that I can sit down at my computer and spend time reviewing different politician’s statements, looking up their history and political affiliations, and come up with something of an idea on who I should be voting for. From the historical perspective, this is ridiculous. To be able to review the words of a candidate, to scan over the pro’s and con’s of an initiative. That’s the kind of thing people had to hear word-of-mouth from their communities, not even a century ago. It’s wild to think that I can sit at my table and browse the political world.

So, is my vote really objective? How much time did you spend looking
into the candidates you voted for this year? I don’t really think most
people have room to disagree with this approach to political education
these days, not when most of us care more about American Idol than we
do about who wins a presidential election.
I think that the Internet actually might be more of a tool for
democracy than we realize and maybe this short session of study and
decision making is more valuable than all the slamming television ads
we see combined.

I believe we are fortunate to have all of this at our finger tips
(figuratively and literally). I think it’s great that this year, more
than any other, I saw multi-lingual options on many campaign websites.
Spanish and even Japanese versions of politicians statements and
initiative explanations were available on the Washington State voter
website. There is also a well-publicized push by politicians to attract younger voters by using MySpace as a form of campaigning.

However, there is still the part of me that is out of touch. Sure, I
voted, I did my part. But it seems to me that actually being involved
in my state, my country, and caring about the "why" of many of these
initiatives is more than a one-evening-a-year-event. What would it look
like if I actually knew the candidates and cared about them on a more
personal level. What if we took it down to the very basic community
level. What if they were actually from my village and were advocating
for clean water or something for our community, not just a part of some
large district. I don’t think the life I live gives me much room to be
involved beyond the ways I am, but should that be different? Should I
be that guy who goes to work, then goes to the city council meeting,
then goes down to Olympia on the weekend and lobbies for his cause?
Should the issues that are pivotal because of my faith (human rights,
poverty, community) cause me to act out more, or am I doing enough by
just being a part of the voting process?

To not take this rant too far, I’ll end by saying this: I really
enjoyed actually sitting down to understand and consider my vote. I
truly value the ability I have to be a part of the democratic process
and I consider the tool of the Internet, while filled with tons of
propaganda, to be a value and blessing when used properly. There is
something incredibly important and in many ways spiritual about our act
of lifting our collective voices and opinions by voting and I pray that
God would show us all how to serve him in our politically processes.

Please pray for our world.