December 31, 2000

Damn, I'm so dumb. If I had only written one more seed of thought this year, this entry would have been my fiftieth. It would have been such a nice way to close out the year, no? Then again, maybe it's a good way to begin the next one. Either way- take note, this is the 49th.

So. Since the last time I posted, something horrible happened. I'd like to note that I'm not dwelling on this- it's just that I never talked about it here. I only mentioned it repeatedly in every other facet of my life. This is my only outlet left, so just give me this one paragraph and I'll be done. So- America has a new president-elect. George W. Bush (my fingers feel dirty typing that name- I don't even think this is healthy anymore). I'm disappointed, not because my guy didn't win (because it's not like he was FDR or anything), but because America got sick and tired of the whole thing and decided that it was better to let an artificial deadline decide an election than the actual votes. I agree that there needed to be standards set to count the votes; I don't agree that there wasn't enough time to do it in this case. In 1960, Hawaii submitted corrected election results on December 30; state electors were merely being chosen on December 12, no votes were taking place. Personally, I think the only true deadline should have been January 4 or 5- the day Congress certifies the electoral college vote. It's a good fight to fight, and I hate the fact that American apathy prevented an accurate vote- we're screwing ourselves over, in the long run.

Alright. Fine. I'm a liar. I am disappointed that Al Gore didn't win. Because 1) Dubya's an idiot. I've never met anyone who defended his intelligence to me, not even the most conservative Republicans. 2) Women's right to choose is threatened. Supreme Court justices will be stepping down, and Roe v. Wade might be in jeopardy if anti-choice justices are put on the bench. 3) I really don't think he's going to be a good leader. I think he owes people that he will pay back while in office, and his lack of intelligence will make it easy for others, who may be truly evil, to essentially control him. 4) Education might be screwed. During the debates, this man said that the public school system had its chance, and now it's time to try something else, meaning vouchers. So our schools will get worse. 5) Because I don't want a long list- I don't agree with anything this man has ever said, and there's a chance all these policies that I don't agree with will get put into affect. So all I can do is protest and put my faith in the Democratic party, and help campaign again in '02. And that's what I'll do. Fun fun fun.

We all know I have Cystic Fibrosis, right? Well, I organized this little bowl-a- thon- called Bowl for Breath, which I think is catchy- to raise money for research and such. I'm constantly freaking out, because I am convinced that it's going to be a huge flop and no one's going to show up, despite the fact that I passed out almost 70 pledge sheets. Well, I almost had reason to be, because only about 35 people actually showed up, and not all of them had collected money. But otherwise it was wonderfully successful, and together we raised almost $3,000. That's more than I ever expected. So, if you have a cause and you like to bowl, all you have to do is call that cause's official organization and a few bowling alleys, and you're in business. And I totally suggest it- it's so much fun (especially if you have it at night- mine went to 2 am, and I finally broke 100 around 1:45 am) and you help so many people. Plus, if you need to rack up service hours for something, this provides you with a lot, and the work isn't that hard. That sounds shallow, though, so don't do it for that reason.

I'm on my school's speech team this year, and it's good for one reason. I've finally recognized my ability to write. I've always known that I can string words together competently, but this year I've become somewhat convinced that I can do it better than the average person. The event I'm competing in has people write their own speech and deliver it- it's called Original Oratory. I suck at delivering it- I get nervous and race through it all, stumbling over words and running out of breath in the middle of sentences, but all my judges like my writing. And I entered this particular speech in a speech contest- which judged delivery too- and I won $100. Of course, only one other person entered the contest against me, but it still counts for something. Anyway, this is the speech: (titled "The Price of Freedom")

On November 7, Americans once again went to the polls to elect their representatives for the coming years. Despite the extreme importance of this decision, only 52% of people eligible to vote actually did. Participation is up from 1996, when a mere 49% of the population voted, but the numbers are still pathetic. This kind of disinterest is not what our founding fathers had in mind when they gave Americans the right to free elections. The chaos that resulted from this presidential election was partially caused by the low voter turnout. Because so many people neglected to uphold their civic duty, America's choice for president was not clear. The eventual decision was left up to the courts, and the man finally elected president may not have been the first choice of the majority of the nation. This crisis has made it clear that America's freedom is in jeopardy- not because of any outside threat, but due to America's own unwillingness to pay for the freedoms they have been given.

The price of freedom. This phrase conjures images of war, of brave American soldiers risking their lives in order to preserve this country's freedom, not only for themselves, but for generations to come. Countless Americans have paid for the freedom we enjoy today with their lives. Today's America is one of relative peace, and the price we have to pay for our freedom is less clear. As a teenage girl, I have never had to earn the liberty I enjoy in my life, but I know that my freedom is not free. Freedom is not an everlasting gift from our fore fathers, it is something we must look after and protect if we want it to continue. To preserve that freedom that has been defended by and for Americans over the past two centuries, the American people of today must work, through education and political consciousness, to ensure that our democracy remains untainted, non-prejudiced, and fair for all.

To ensure that our freedom cannot be taken away, it is essential that America be educated. Most people understand the value of a good education for success in the business world, but it also creates knowledgeable citizens capable of making informed decisions about their government. Education is more than literacy and long division. Through learning, a person obtains the ability of rational thought. In a nation that gives its people the power to elect its leaders, this is a necessary skill. People must be able to understand the issues facing our country and the solutions the candidates are offering in order to make an educated vote. Education provides a broader world view. With technology bringing people all over the world closer together, it is very important to understand America's international role. This can reveal possible threats to our freedom. Henry Peter Brougham once said, "Education makes people easy to lead, but difficult to drive; easy to govern but impossible to enslave." Americans can become independent thinkers through education, and this makes them less susceptible to biased information, as well as better able to make informed decisions concerning the future of this country.

Education does not stop after formal schooling ends, however. In the words of George Bernard Shaw "Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it." It is up to the individual to apply the skills he has gained from school to the real world. A person should be responsible for keeping up with the current events of the nation, and educating himself on the issues concerning society. Americans determine how the government deals with the issues important to its people. A person must develop independent opinions of his own. It is impossible to sit idly by and allow only certain groups to make decisions that could affect the entire nation. This could eventually result in the loss of our personal freedoms.

Universal education ultimately leads to citizens who are politically conscious and actively involved in their government. On the community, state, or national level, this is essential. Thomas Jefferson once said, "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." Our government is bound by the Constitution to uphold our rights, but this can only happen if everyone plays the role of the active citizen. This is not a right, it is a responsibility. By making your voice heard or working for a political campaign, you can ensure that the issues you care about are dealt with and show your concern for the future. This level of activism isn't even necessary; by simply voting, Americans can determine who will represent them in the coming years.

A recent poll by MTV's Choose or Loose showed that only one-third of Americans ages 18 to 24 planned on voting in the coming presidential election, and 25% of this group didn't even know the names of the candidates. If political activism does not happen, if the trend of political apathy continues, this could be a serious threat to our freedom. According to George Jean Nathan, "Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote." The wealthy and powerful could control our government, and manipulate the laws in their favor. Entire groups of Americans could be misrepresented or completely ignored. Their freedoms could be taken away from them, and with no government safety net to help them, they could be made victims of capitalism. People will no longer be equal in the eyes of our government. Another possibility is that a weak and ineffective government could form that was unable to provide for its people domestically or in foreign affairs. International conflict or war could result from such horrible leadership. Tom Hayden once said, "A silent majority and government by the people is incompatible." By maintaining political apathy, a person shows the political world he doesn't care about his country, and allows for corruption in his government. Political consciousness is the only way to maintain a government that represents all its people.

Freedom is not only won on the battlefield; it must also be fought for in the homes of every American. In the immortal words of Abraham Lincoln "The ballot is stronger than the bullet." By continuing education and recognizing its value, we can create a nation of well- informed, capable citizens. If this knowledge is used to keep our government one of the people instead of one of the privileged and powerful, the freedom we enjoy today will not be threatened. This is the least the current generation can do to honor those that fought for us in the past, and those that have yet to come.

If I promised that the next update will have nothing to do with politics, would you read this again? When you realize, after reading the next update, that this promise was a dirty lie, would you still come back?