Dear Editor,
In 2005, an Iraqi man, voting in the nation’s first free elections in more than half a century, said he felt, “as if I’ve just been born.” An Iraqi woman called it “the best thing I have actually ever done in my life.”
And I was there in Iraq to witness it. I’ll never forget that day. On that said day, I saw many Iraqis voting for the first time. It was one of my proudest moments being in Iraq. To witness men and women coming out to vote despite the threats by insurgents to kill anyone who did so. And yet, more than 60% of Iraqis came out to vote.
On the other hand, in my adopted country, the United States of America, despite no threats or dangers, many Americans don’t vote. As an American veteran of three wars, it really bothers me that so many Americans don’t vote, despite the fact so many people fought and died for the right to vote.
Furthermore, in the country of my birth, Guyana, many of its citizens have told me that they are not going to vote. They say they can’t vote for the PPP/C or the opposition.
While I agree somewhat with these people that both the government and opposition are flawed, I strongly disagree with them for choosing not to vote. It’s imperative that we vote. I believe every citizen has a moral obligation to vote. To not vote is an insult and a slap in the face to our fore-fathers who fought for our right to vote.
During the 2012 presidential election in America, I faced a similar experience. I didn’t want to vote for Mitt Romney or President Obama. So I voted for a candidate who only a few people knew and voted for. Some people accused me of wasting my vote because there was no way my candidate could win. I didn’t see it that way. The way I saw it was not to vote was to waste my vote. So I voted for the candidate of my choice because I felt obligated to vote. I couldn’t vote for Romney or Obama.
So I say to the people of Guyana who do not want to vote because they don’t like the government or opposition, that they have a moral obligation to vote even if it means not voting for the opposition or government.
I am suggesting they vote for any candidate of their choice, even one whom few people know or would even vote for. This way they can say that they have voted, and don’t let anyone tell them that they wasted their vote. They would only waste their vote when they don’t vote.
We don’t have to face any dangers like the Iraqis when we go to vote, so let us all come out and vote. It’s our God-given right, and we should not take it for granted because many people around the world don’t have this right.
Yours faithfully,
Anthony Pantlitz
