I beleive that voting is an important civic duty.
And today is the first election in 14 years in which I will not cast a ballot.
I know. I should have. I just didn't get my act together in time to get registered in Maryland. But if I'm honest, my not getting registered to vote probably has as much to do with a lack of motivation, fed by my growing cynicism about politics, as it does with my disorganization.
These words of Daniel Berrigan, the (in) famous peace activist and Jesuit priest who spent time in prison for his civil disobedience against government policies on racism, nuclear arms, and most famously Vietnam, resonate with my own feelings today:
I can only tell you what I believe;
I believe: I cannot be saved by foreign policies.
I cannot be saved by the sexual revolution.
I cannot be saved by the gross national product.
I cannot be saved by nuclear deterrents.
I cannot be saved by aldermen, priests, artists, plumbers, city planners, social engineers,
nor by the Vatican, nor by the World Buddhist Association,
nor by Hitler, nor by Joan of Arc, nor by angels and archangels, nor by powers and dominions,
I can be saved only by Jesus Christ.
On his blog "The Journey with Jesus: Notes to Myself," Dan Clendenin adds:
I cannot be saved by George Bush or Jesse Jackson, by Hillary Clinton or Condi Rice, nor by their successors or opponents. I cannot be saved by Green Peace or the ACLU, by Focus on the Family or by Promise Keepers.
I am glad that there are many others who will exercise their democratic privilege today and vote. By all means, you should go vote today. But as you do, I pray that we will keep in mind the words of the Psalmist: "Blessed is the one whose help is in the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God" (146:5).
3 comments:
I am sorry you did not get to vote. It was fun and you get to meet so many interesting people who will share their stories with you. I was inpressed by a comment from a voter who had been in line a very long time.The reporter asked if he was upset by the delay. The weary voter replied that he was not upset and waiting two hours to vote was nothing compared to the hardships his ancestors had endured
in order to get the opportunity to vote.I hope you will not delay getting your registration done ASAP.
It's not about your salvation,it is about making life a little easier and maybe richer, for everyone
and enjoyable
Rev Rachel/Sweet Rachel - you do your part...to be sure.
I finally got my Maryland driver's license yesterday--and I registered to vote!
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