The economy is tattered and bruised, the integrity and honesty of our elected leaders called repeatedly into question, and calls have been made for a general election. Political critics are howling at the state of our government. Be thankful that they can!
Be thankful that you and I have the democratic right to mark a cross on a bit of paper and say who we want to lead us – even if it does feel like choosing the lesser of 2 or 3 ( or many) evils. Be thankful that you and I have the right to whinge, protest and challenge what our governement says and does, and to hold it accountable in some fashion.
20 years ago, it was brought home to me in all to tragic detail the immense amount of freedom we have in the right to vote, the right to protest, the right to challenge inequality and oppression. 20 years ago, watching John Simpson reporting the events of Tiananmen Square – students the same age as me and younger at that time facing tanks and dying for the right to gain some of the democratic freedoms we have – my view of politics and my life was changed.
It seems somehow right that today – the 20th anniversary of that massacre in a square in Beijing, i’m about to head out of the door with a polling card in my hand. I hope you are doing the same today – making your mark, making your voice heard (albeit in a small, safe way) – be thankful that today you can and for God’s sake, dont waste it.
if you need a reminder of why – go here
