Vote, but vote wisely

With the midterm elections less than a month away, there have been commendable efforts to get more people registered and motivated to vote. Voting is, of course, one of the most important civic duties we have in our democracy. In Abraham Lincoln’s “Lost Speech,” he reportedly said, “Do not mistake that the ballot is stronger than the bullet.”

But, casting a ballot is not enough. As Theodore Roosevelt wrote in his autobiography, “A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.” A vote cast by a low-information voter, or by someone voting strictly along party lines, could very well be as dangerous as a bullet, fired toward the heart of our community and our nation.

We all have busy lives, but staying informed about our government is too serious an obligation to ignore. There is still time before November 3rd to research the candidates. For incumbents, you should review their voting record at the respective New York and federal websites.

Over the coming weeks, millions will be spent on negative political ads, filled with lies and misinformation. Do the work and check the facts. Use reputable sources of news and information, and do not believe anything you see on social media without fact-checking it as well. In 2024, too many voters believed Donald Trump when he claimed immigrants were “barbaric thugs” who were “stealing jobs”, “voting illegally” and “eating the dogs and cats” of neighbors. So many lies like these could very easily be debunked with just a little effort.

In the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” the knight guarding the Holy Grail says to Indiana and the villain, Walter Donovan, “You must choose…but, choose wisely. For as the true Grail will bring you life, the false Grail will take it from you.”

The same can be said about our civic duty as Americans: Vote, but vote wisely.
Your community and country are depending on it.