Did My Vote Count?

I cast my vote yesterday at Fire Station No. 3.  Election officials had raised the garage doors to a beautiful Mississippi day, and it made for a nice open-air exercising of my “right” as an American citizen.  It took me about 45 minutes, including the drive across town from work–and that was a long time for my neck of the woods.  I went during the lunch hour expecting some sort of a line, but there were only two people in front of me at the M-Z table.  Yes, I live in a precinct requiring only two alphabetical tables.  The reason it took me so long was that my name was not on the registered voter list.  

I’ve voted in this location before, but only by affidavit.  I had also failed to return the change of registration form I got in the mail after the last election, so the absence of my name was only a minor surprise.  The ladies checked my street name to make sure I was at the right polling station, and then called over an apparently more authoritative poll worker to find out what to do.  He decided to call the Chancery Clerk’s office to determine how best to afford me my one vote.  The Clerk confirmed that another affidavit ballot would be the answer, and I was ushered to a table for further instructions.  The table happened to be in full sun, and I was somewhat blinded by the ballot.  But, having come this far, I was eager to let my voice be heard.  After a brief disappointment that I would not get to use the new electronic voting machines (yes, further evidence of my rural setting), I grabbed my nubby Ebony pencil, ready to avail myself of my enfranchisement.  

Another poll worker showed me the parts of the ballot envelope to complete with my personal information and after a few “hey theres,” “hellos,” and “I’m retired nows” in response to passing voters, he demonstrated how to fold the ballot so that the poll worker initials were in the right spot.  Interesting that no one requested to see any identification, but I suppose Starkville, Mississippi is not a hot bed for over-zealous ACORN voter registration volunteers.  The poll worker signed his name below mine on the completed ballot envelope and gave me a sheet of paper explaining affidavit ballots.  He pointed out the telephone number that I could call “not less than 10 days from this date” to find out (in his words) if my vote counts.  Hmmm.

After a few more reiterations of how to insert my folded ballot (apparently the location of the initials is crucial), I was left to my own voting devices.  When I had finished blackening circles for president, a senator, a representative, a few judges and a hospital bond issue, I inserted my ballot appropriately into the envelope and called over the poll worker.  He again reminded me of the phone number determining if my vote would count and directed me to the ballot box.  It was not the rough wooden ones I’d used in previous years, but a nice, blue canvas one with a seamed slit in the top.  I dropped the envelope in, said my thank yous, and voting was complete.

After what seems like years of campaign coverage, the election is over.  Regardless of which camp you favored, we now know the next president of the United States (and not just because CNN said so.)  Barak Obama has already been declared the 44th president, and I’m still left to wonder (and wait ten days) to discover: did my vote count?  

This election was different, somehow.  News reports and candidate speeches indicate that there was a healthy voter turn-out, particularly among younger voters who haven’t been as engaged in the process in previous years.  The sheer months of constant news coverage has given the impression of greater interest this time around.  We’ve been trained by the last two presidential elections to monitor electoral votes, and cable news has been sporting the maps for weeks now.  I noticed that even in my small town precinct there was fallout from voter fraud concerns.  My polling station offered a tabletop display of voting “rules”, the reasons voter identification might be required and the appropriate documents or cards that might qualify.  I haven’t noticed that before.  There was also a huge stop sign printed with a warning that state law prohibits campaigning of any kind within 150 feet of the polling station.  That’s always been the case, but given the overload of media coverage, ad spots and road signs we’ve seen for almost two years now, that 150-foot campaigning-free zone around Fire Station No. 3 was a welcomed relief.

Still,  I’m left to wonder:  did my vote count?  A winner has been announced in most races.  Mississippi belonged to John McCain for the night, and not by a close margin.  News anchors had all but declared Obama the next president before the polls had even closed in California.  The final word on whether my ballot was thrown out will not be determined for 10 more days.   So, did my vote count?  Was it worth the time if my state’s six electoral votes are only a drop in the margin of victory bucket?  Was my trip to Fire Station No. 3 important even it had little to no effect on the election’s outcome?  

The answer:  Yes.  My vote does count.  It may not be the one vote that moves the ticker to 50.1%, but it counts.  Even ten days later, it counts.  It counts when it motivates me to form an opinion.  It counts when it makes me consider how government will effect my life.  It counts when it engages me in debate over where our country is and where it’s going–even when I’m only debating the tv screen.  It counts when it entwines me in an historic moment–for African Americans, women and elder statesmen.  It counts when it attaches responsibility to my citizenship.  It counts when it inspires me to write a post.  

In our great country, voting is a “right” of birth and the completion of a few forms.  In a generation when we, as United States citizens, have become numbed by our own entitlement to speak and be heard, my vote still counts.  It counts because it can impose a term limit that dictators around this world dread and war against.  It counts because it celebrates a “right” that many of the poorest, sickest, most uneducated and displaced citizens in this world would consider a “privilege.”

I’m marking my calendar for Friday, November 14th.  I’m calling the number.  I’m going to find out if my ballot was accepted.  Because my vote is my privilege.  And, it counts.

“Olympic Truce”

This Article Published at  

Cultural Context:  A tradition dating to the ancient Greek games which calls for a halt to fighting during the Olympic games, ensuring the athletes’ safe passage to and from the events.  Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek (speedskating, 2006) has called for the tradition to be revived with a cease fire in the Darfur region during this summer’s Beijing games.  He also founded an organization called Team Darfur which encourages athletes to play a part in raising awareness and bringing an end to the crisis.

On August 5, the Chinese government revoked Cheek’s previously issued visa, preventing him from attending the Olympic games in Beijing just one week before he was scheduled to arrive.  Although the government was not required to state the reasons for disallowing Cheek, it is widely believed the decision was in response to his work for peace in Darfur and his criticism of China’s lack of action in the region.  Team Darfur has expressed concerns that other athletes are being discouraged from expressing views about the issues as well.  Read the AP article here.

Sad.

In the definition of “truce” at dictionary.com, the word that stands out to me is respite–”a temporary respite, as from trouble or pain.”  A respite in the Darfur, Sudan region does not seem likely during the few weeks of the Olympics.  And, how could we expect it when we can’t even achieve a respite from the war of words and human rights ideologies surrounding these Olympic games.

According to the dictionary.com entry, one of the early origins of the word “truce” dates from the 1200s, meaning “faith, assurance of faith, covenant, treaty.”  It isn’t surprising that faith or assurance of faith is at the heart of the concept of a truce between factions.  A truce requires good faith, a certain level of trust between the parties involved.  It also requires a covenant, which somehow is so much more than a mere promise.  More than an agreement, it is a commitment to the same goal between those parties.

The Olympic “spirit” is the supposed shared goal in the practice of an Olympic truce.  In fact, many of the articles about the Joey Cheek situation tout the spirit of the Olympic games.  The spirit is a common goal that all athletes are on equal footing regardless of race, creed, gender, or political ideology.  The spirit is that anyone can win.  The only great placesetter is ability and performance.  And, although the modern Olympic games may be littered with corporate sponsorship, the spirit is still pride of nationality, pride of team, and pride of personal accomplishment.  You see it in the faces during the opening ceremony parade of nations from the national delegations of hundreds of competitors, many “favored” to win, to the lone flag-bearer proudly representing a new nation, his country’s greatest hero.  “I belong here.  This is where I come from.  This is what I can do.”

Although I see the need for the world, China, myself to be made aware of Darfur, the need for the world, China, myself to be prompted to facilitate change in Darfur, still I fear it is the United States that has first violated an Olympic truce.  We have been the first to take up arms.  For all his worthy work on behalf of the region in crisis, I fear it is Joey Cheek who has wrongly interjected political ideology into the Olympic games.  With our uniquely American way of insisting on freedom of speech at all costs, those around our team have actually violated the covenant of the Olympic spirit.  We have broken an assurance of faith that these games should not be about politics.  

The U.S. team delegation made a powerful statement about the Olympic spirit on August 5, the same day Joey Cheek’s visa was denied.  They chose Lopez Lamong as their flag-bearer for the Opening Ceremonies.  Lamong is a first-time Olympian with no gold medals under his belt.  He will compete in only one event, the 1500-meter race.  He is also a Darfur refugee and a new American citizen.  (Read his story at ESPN here and great commentary at LA Times here.)  The team chose him the American way.  They voted for him.  As he walks the parade of nations carrying the stars and stripes, he will raise more awareness about the Sudanese crisis than possibly Joey Cheek ever could at these games–all without saying a word.

The Olympic games should not be about human rights policy, for they are inevitably about human rights in actuality.  There is no greater way for the Olympics to highlight human rights than to allow the spirit of the games to flourish unshadowed by American-indulged free speech.  As each athlete stands equal on the starting block, evaluated only by his qualifying time, the world is watching.  And listening.  “I am a human being.  I am an athlete.  This is where I come from.  This is what I can do.  I belong here.”

“Citizen Media”

Cultural Context:  The term used to describe media content or forms produced by private citizens who are not professional journalists.  One of those forms of content is the weblog.  A Global Voices Citizen Media Summit was recently held in Budapest, Hungary highlighting issues related to citizen blogging.  Global Voices is a non-profit advocacy group that seeks to highlight significant conversations arising from existing worldwide citizen media, facilitate new citizen media outlets and foster global freedom of expression.

My first exposure to the term was reading an article last week about the Summit that wrapped up in Budapest on June 28.  I’d never heard it phrased that way (although, I’m a little behind — it even has a Wikipedia entry!) and I was shocked to realize that I am actually a member of the Citizen Media trend that has been growing across the globe.  Who knew?

An article about a document produced by Global Voices’ Rising Voices initiative called An Introduction to Citizen Media highlights the phenomenon:

“Everyday citizens across the world are increasingly using blogs, podcasts, online video, and digital photography to engage in an unmediated conversation which transcends borders, cultures, and differing languages.”

This phenomena of media has been greatly spurred by technology and the growth of the internet.  The unique perspectives and grass roots access to newsworthy situations or disaster-ridden areas provided by Citizen Media have found their place even in professional media outlets in the form of IReports, UReports, etc.

I’ll admit.  I once thought of blogging as a waste of time, or self-absorption or even arrogance  — until I decided to try it.  Now, through my own short experience in the Citizen Media corp, I have seen for myself the various perspectives of those I never would have had the opportunity to read or share my writings with.  Even a simple, uneventful account of the daily life of another broadens my world in a way that CNN never could.

Today marks the eight-week anniversary of my first post on EyeJunkie.com.  As I’ve been thinking about and evaluating my experience so far, I have prepared another post that contains some of my own personal “rules” for blogging.  But, knowing the chorus of global voices that are joining me, the pursuit is somehow larger than it was before.

“Victimized”

Cultural Context:  The term used in a statement by Entertainment Tonight to describe their position regarding a false news story they published last week about the birth of Angelina Jolie’s twins.  See the quote from the FoxNews article:

“Entertainment Tonight’ takes this very seriously and is, of course, concerned that the show may have been victimized by someone allegedly posing as a member of Ms. Jolie’s team,” the statement said. “We are actively investigating the matter and are reaching out to law enforcement agencies.”

Hmmm…
I find “victimized” an interesting choice of words in this relatively trivial situation.  I would encourage Entertainment Tonight to check out how a few other news outlets have used the term “victim” or “victimized” recently:

U.N. to pursue Darfur ‘war criminals’
CNN.com ~ June 5, 2008

70 arrested in Austrailia in pornography sting
CNN.com ~ June 5, 2008

Judge allows sect girl’s release, with conditions
CNN.com ~ June 4, 2008

U.S., Libya agree to try to resolve terrorism claims
Reuters.com ~ May 30, 2008 

Cyclone Survivors Victimized by Burma Soldiers
USAToday.com ~ May 28, 2008

Treaty to ban cluster bombs within 8 years
USAToday.com ~ May 28, 2008

Interesting Articles from “Thinkers”

I recently joined a posting group on BlogCatalog called My Life Thinking.  It offers posts from all kinds of different perspectives.  Check out this post on the moderator’s blog with links to some of the current favorites.  I posted my Human Writes article to the discussion.

Also, check out the moderator’s post on the “Gaza Holocaust” and the website link.  I need to look and think through the site a little.  I’m not very familiar with the Palestinian perspective. But, it’s powerful, and I know God is grieved by this situation.
Disclaimer:  The Gaza site has some very disturbing images.  Squeamish beware.