america finally got something right!

thankyou, from the WHOLE world!

To the Youth of America:

This Tuesday you will have the oportunity to vote for the future President of the United States of America. A privilage not granted to alot of people around the world, and not some in your own country.   The right to vote is something that wars have been waged over, even still today.

In 1999 only 12.2% of Americans between the ages of 18-25 voted in the US election. In 2004 20 Million young Americans voted, which was an increase on the 12 Million in 2000. Historically, only 54% of all those eligble to vote in the United States of America Vote in the US Presidential Election. Why am I reciting all these figures? In Australia it is compulsory to vote, and I am a staunch supporter of this. I believe you should have a say in how your country is run.   Neither Australia nor the USA are Dictatorships, we elect the people we feel will represent us justly.   Being that the case is in the US it is not compulsory to vote, the mojority of voters are 40-65 year old white males.

Do all those older white men know whats best for you? Do they know what issues affect you and your friends? Are they interested in support for young families, college students and young people struggling to cope in the current financial climate?

Get yourself as educated as you can in the next 24 hours on who you think represents you the best, sure you probably won’t agree with everything they stand for, hell, you may not even be able to relate to them, but you have a right to make sure the best person fills the job. Vote for the person who is going to have you, your kids and your grandkids best interests at heart.

I don’t propose to tell you who to vote for, I only implore you to be part of the process and vote on Tuesday. You may not think so but the choices your country makes affects the rest of the world, including (and quite majorly) Australia.

If you aren’t interested in the way your country is run, if you couldn’t care less if your President was an white guy or a black guy, even if you have something more important to do then helping decide who will be the leader of the free world, vote for us, the rest of us who give a damn. Vote for me, a 20 year old female living in Canberra, Australia, who cares about the state of the world. Vote for all the young people in Autralia who will now not be able to retire till they are 65+ because of the US Market crash, vote for my friends who can now not afford to buy a house because of the current economical crises. Vote for my dad, who is living in the middle east sorting out the mess over there. Vote for a Leader who is going to lead your country into better times.

Just go vote, its not that hard. Do it for us, the rest of the world. I implore you.

Jess

some of you might know that i have spent a chunk of the last 2 years living and working in the United States. before i left on my trip i encountered alot of antiamericanism, many people simply could not fathom why i would want to go there. according to these people americans as a whole were dumb, pro guns, anti social justice, and super conservative. i however, defended the United States and its people saying that you cannot judge a country by its leaders, especially when the majority of people didn’t even vote for the guy.

however, with the lead up to the us federal election i am beginning to wonder if i have been defending without merit. it seems more and more likely to me that obama may loose the election to a man who will probably die of old age before the end of his term. i am concerned not only for americans, but for the world. america may be in an economic ressesion, but it still holds much sway with the rest of the world. as a nation, australia is pulling away from desicions made by the US and are finally thinking for ourselves a little bit more, but i don’t hold much hope for americas relations with the rest of the world if they elect another right wing conservatist. surely it is time for a change?

don’t get me wrong. i have many american friends whom i love dearly, and i would never presume to tell them how to vote. likewise this blog (not that anyone would read it) is not a guide to voting, just one persons opinion. i am 20, female, “white” and from a family that has never known any severe financial challenges. so i guess that you could say that if i was american i would be the first person likely NOT to participate in the electorial process. of my american friends who were all between the ages of 18-35, i knew 3 who voted. i would hold my circle of friends in the states at roughly 50 people. in australia it is compulsory to vote. i voted for the first time last year, and no, i may not have voted for kevin rudd, but i participated in the process and felt that my voice was heard. it saddens me that my friends who live in one of the most powerful countries in the world do not have the tenacity to be part of the process. but is this a fault of theirs? or a fault of the system? as far as i understand, obama could have more people vote for him then mccain, but still lose the election, is this correct? isn’t that what happened to kerry?

i fear that antiamericanism could spread further then sheer dislike for the leaders of the US, if mccain wins this election i can see us relations deteriating with the rest of the world. including australia. sometimes i even find myself participate in “america bashing”, siding with antiamerican views on the tv and radio. maybe americans are just loosing touch? as one of my dear friends told me when i asked her if she prefered Stephen Colbert or John Stewart, she replied, “Oh i don’t like colbert, he is too right wing conservative for me”.

get the joke?