Published: October 30, 2008 06:26 pm            

Paint my world — red and blue

The 2008 presidential election is in two days. I almost forgot, sort of. I do have to confess this year’s race seemed to sneak up, which seems a paradox considering that I work at the newspaper. But my pre-occupation with other things does not mean that I am taking this election lightly. After all, it is one of the biggest elections in history. My third presidential election to cast a vote. My first presidential election at the Bluefield Daily Telegraph. I am excited.

Forget all the arguments. The Sarah Palins hanging from rooftops. The McCain old man jokes. The Obama 30-minute TV show. Instead, remember the importance of an election. Just the right to vote in a democratic society should be exciting for all of us, regardless of the candidate. I can’t help but think that elections should be somewhat fun and exciting. But perhaps it is my naivety that implores readers and voters to go out and cast a ballot — in good faith and optimistic hope.

My childlike desire does not stem from an idealist view of the country. I have the knowledge that economic problems and the war cannot be solved overnight. And they most certainly won’t be fixed immediately with an election. Yes, steps will be put in place, with a desired outcome. But if you’re looking for instant gratification, look elsewhere. There is a reason that a president is in office for four years — change takes time and patience. Personally, this expectation — one of patience and realism — is what I carry to the polls on Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday morning, I take to the polls my own memories of the election process. In 1988, I sat in the living room floor, watching election night unfold between George Bush and Michael Dukakis. As an 8-year old child, I had no real knowledge of politics. I had no opinion, no arguments, just a map of the U.S. and two crayons — red and blue. As the night went on, I colored in each individual state with the appropriate color. Red for Republican and blue for Democrats. My first brush with politics was a colorful one. That same year, I learned the names of all the presidents — in order. I recited the list until I was blue in the face. My fourth grade teacher Mrs. Mills made sure that all of her students understood the importance of the election and the names of the presidents.

During every primary and election, my parents always voted at Glenwood Elementary School. I tagged along and watched them punch their ballots every election. My mom would always remind my dad that it was an election day. And together, after a long day at work, they would load up the car and drive the three minutes to the school to cast their vote. Sometimes they had to wait in line. But they never failed to vote. By watching, I realized that there was an importance to the voting process. And I became eager for my own chance to cast a vote. I wanted my own voice.

In high school, before I was even 18, I had my voter registration card. A member of the county clerk’s office came to Mercer Christian and helped every senior sign up to vote. The small, yellow rectangular card was nothing more than a piece of paper in my wallet, but it was the key to much more. As I signed my name for the card, I felt a rush of adulthood. I was given a voice. In 2000, I voted for in my first presidential election. That night, when watching the results, I desperately wanted to color in a map with red and blue.

This week, millions of people will go to the polls. Some are angry at a current president. Others are looking for change. Some are even scared of that change. And sadly, some won’t even go to the polls at all. Tired of the negativity, some have lost interest in the democratic process of this county. I admit that it is easy to feel bogged down by all of the political turmoil in this country, especially at times like these.

However, I am still going to cast my vote, not to place one man higher than the other. But to place a vote for the history of my country — for those that have fought for a right that we all seem to disregard at times. I am placing a vote based on my own history. The memory of that map, a haze of blue and red crayons; the memory of every president, memorized name after name; the image of my parents voting in a small town elementary school, while I waited by the door; and the image of my yellow voter’s card, wrinkled from my wallet. These are the memories and the reason that I will vote on Tuesday.

I encourage everyone to find their own memories — no matter how idealist or childish — of the election process. The right to even those memories is action enough to vote on Tuesday.



Jamie Parsell is the Lifestyle editor of the Daily Telegraph. Contact her at jparsell@bdtonline.com.

        

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