Today, I took my daughter to our local voting precinct. I told her how we made a similar trip last year to vote in the 2012 Presidential Election. Given my daughter's recent interest in asking "why" questions, she asked, "Why vote, Daddy?" Now, I thought it was a great question, and one I intend to answer repeatedly until she is at least of voting age. I told my daughter that one of the privileges I have (and she will have) as an American citizen is the right to vote. Simply, we vote to empower like-minded people to make decisions on our behalf. I told her that people before us fought and died to earn that privilege. All the members of her immediate family (Mom-female, Dad-Black, Daughter-black enough and female) were denied the right to vote at some point in American history. So, we not only vote to elect people we believe in, but also to honor those people who came before us and sacrificed so much. And now, with states trying harder than ever to make voting more challenging, we need to vote. So, we voted today. (Much to the dismay of a stringy haired British comedian who should stay committed to his mediocre at best comedy.)
