Growing up in Syria under an oppressive regime made me appreciate the rights I have here in the U.S. One of these rights is voting.
Knowing that I could vote and that my vote counted made me feel that I could make a difference, or at least I tried to.
Some of us have heard and seen the history of the many trials African Americans, women, and other minorities had to go through just to be able to register to vote.
The right to vote we have now is the result of a long fight. And when we do not fight for something, we do not feel its value
You have the right to vote; it means you have a chance to change a situation that you do not like. Voting is your right; if you do not use it, you lose it and lose this opportunity for change.
Voting is a group method to make a collective decision or express an opinion, usually following discussions or election campaigns. And rights are legal or ethical principles of freedom.
But when we talk about voting rights, we connect the rights we have now with a history of years and years of fighting and suffering to win these rights and stop the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many states after the Civil War.
For me, voting is a privilege and responsibility at the same time, not just a right. The first time I had a chance to vote was here in the U.S. after I got my citizenship five years ago.
According to the U.S. Constitution, no one is legally required to vote in any local, state or presidential election.
The law does not require citizens to vote, but voting is an important part of any democracy. By voting, citizens are participating in the democratic process. Citizens vote for leaders to represent them and their ideas, and the leaders support the citizens’ interests.
I know that what I am saying sounds like we are living in dreamland, and I know that the reality is not that simple to make the right decision as to whom we should vote for, but at least let us do our part. Instead of reacting to or worrying about whether the person we will vote for is the right person or not, let us be proactive and focus our energy on things we can control. Let us research and listen, then take the best decision possible.
With enough preparation and more research, voting can help us play a significant role in the world we want to live in.