Quote:
Originally posted by Love_Spell_6
I see...well I guess I'm not in the business of coercing people to vote. IF the fact that our ancestors, fought, shed blood, and died for the right to vote...isnt enough to get someone to the polls...don't know if the vote is really beneficial
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I think for many people who could vote and do not vote, especially young people, to say people fought for us to be able to vote does not carry much weight because it is not in their true cultural memory. If the adults and educators in your world do not make this something that you can relate to or really feel, it will have little affect. If you have not been made to watch Eyes on the Prize and seen the video of the dogs, the fire hoses, etc. you may feel disconnected from this history. Also, given the state of education here, there are many who cannot understand civics to understand what impact their vote will or will not have. As with most issues, you have to show people how it affects them to get them to understand why they should take a particular action.
Personally, it is important to me to do voter education in communities that are overlooked and ignored that much hope will not ever get it together and vote. I don’t see it as coercing. Usually it only takes a little education and taking the time to look at someone who feels disenfranchised as a person worth listening to in order to get them to see they have something to say.