Don't forget to VOTE!

It's your right as a citizen of these United States of America (or divided states, if you choose) that when you reach your 18th year and you have filed the one page paper to register, you go vote. We live in a nation where the leaders have turned their backs on the importance of taking care of our people at home. We are fighting in an unpopular war that was started under false guises to topple the recently convicted Saddam Hussein in order to make ourselves feel safer. What can we do about it? We can take the steps to get off our duffs and go down to the local voting precinct and cast a vote for change. You can cast your vote to keep things status quo too, that is your right. I am a blue person in a red state (yes, that means I am a Democrat in a stat that is normally Republican). We have issues on our ballot this year that ask us weather or not to deny someone rights. One issue is for the right for two gay people to considered themselves "married" with all the benefits and drawbacks that come with that term. Traditionalists have come out in droves to say that this should be denied because they believe that the only way to be married is to have a man and a woman. I am a believer that all folks of any coupling (men and men, women and women or men and women) should be allowed to be married if they go to the courthouse and pay their dues just like everyone else. What is the big deal? Wake up to the real world folks! This isn't asking you to agree with what others do, that is their business. Why would we as folks who fight for the freedoms we have every day, deny these rights to someone within our own nation? People have long come to our country for a new start, the freedom of religion, choice and the pursuit of happiness. What is happy about not living the way we would like? Do you like being able to stay with your loved ones in the hospital and to help make choices for them if needed? Do you like being able to keep them insured and beneficiaries of your hard work when you are no longer able to carry on? Why then would we take these freedoms from folks who live an alternative life style? We are so blinded by wanting to take away these rights of folks who deserve them, we take up the time we should be using to fight poverty, better the education system and bring affordable housing to the people. We still have people who are starving in our own country.
Do yourself a favor and take a stand, it's your right and your job. Use your voice to affect the world or you are only part of the problem that we allow to continue in the status quo by staying silent.