Re: Good Citizens (not short, not long)

[michelle <kanani71 at yahoo_com>]

> People are as connected or disconnected as they want to be. I
> don't care 
> for whom you voted-- okay, I do, but that's neither here nor
> there-- but 
> if you went out and voted, you participated. You participated.
> We participated. Love it or hate it, everyone did what they 
> were supposed to, and what happened happened.


I grew up in a house w/ politically aware parents.  Heck, my dad
even ran for Lt. Govenor when I was in 7th grade.  But when I
was of age to vote did I pay attention to who/what/where?  Nope.
 Did my brother?  Nope.  Quote from my mother, "I can't believe
you are 'my' children!?"  

SO, me, age 18, not caring... I was on the Big Island going to
college and get a call from my mother saying that she filled out
absentee voting forms for my brother and I and when I got mine,
sign it and send it in.  "Yea, k, whatever."  An uncle of mine
was running for County Council of Maui and my mother's thing
was, "You're uncle is running for a county seat and by god, you
WILL vote!"  Couple months later I get another call saying that
my absentee ballot had come.  My mother had opened them, filled
them out, and put those little post it stickers saying *Sign
Here* w/ and arrow on them.  Her:  "When you get your ballots,
sign them and mail them back right away".  She even included the
stamped envelope.  I voted w/out having to vote.  Ain't she
sweet?  (she says now i pry shouldn't be telling that story to
people, but its funny to me)

Throughout the years I've come to care more w/ each election. 
It's a very strange mirror to look into now.  I... care?  Holy
shit, I care.  This year I even made politcal bumper sticker art
w/ 4 candidates on my truck.  *On* my truck.  Not the bumper,
the truck.  A less than a year old truck too.  That should tell
you something if you ask me.

My Govenor won.  I was/am thrilled.  First woman Govenor of
Hawai'i.  My Mayor lost, by barely over 1,000 votes.  I'm still
sad.  But that was the people's choice, people who participated.
 And what happened happened (to borrow Ysoie's words).  I'm
kinda freaked to see how I respond to elections in another 2
years, considering how my voting career began.  It's a personal
saga, I tell you.


michelle

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