By: Blonde Two
I haven’t, until recent years, been good at voting.
That is to say, until last year’s European Union vote (I refuse to use that ridiculous ‘B’ word) I hadn’t ever executed my constitutional right and put a ballot paper into a box.
I had a few reasons (not necessarily good) but to be honest the main one was that I didn’t feel qualified to make a judgement on who should be running the country.
Things change though don’t they when you see something you deeply care about being poorly done by. In my case this was education.
Don’t worry this isn’t a political post but I was a tad amused on Thursday morning when I found myself at the polling station for the second time only, but once again without my bra.
I am not sure I would have made a good suffragette although I can be pretty feisty when my dander is up and my ideals threatened (do ladies have danders?) but I like the idea of bra burning as a demonstrative gesture (mind you these days I see bras as supportive friends rather than restrictive enemies!)
Sadly my arrival sans brassiere had nothing to do with militancy or brave stands on either voting occasion. Last time I had been swimming and forgotten to pack one and this year I have had a little operation that has left stitches in an inconvenient bra-strap position.
Would I burn my bras though, if I thought it would make a difference to current education policy?
Of course I would, but maybe not the expensive, super holding-up ones… my world would be a saggier place without those and walking would be most uncomfortable!
I sympathise, even though I have always voted. Our so called democracy is a compromise, as would any system always be. We vote for MPs on several issues: their attention to doing good for their local constituency, and being there to help their constituents, and also for their allegiance to a particular political party. Then that particular party may have an agenda that you go along with, BUT, except for, say one major issue, e.g. their stance on nuclear power, and/or nuclear defence. There is no easy answer as to where to place your vote, but if don’t-knows and passives don’t vote it just enhances the chances of radicals and fanatics and we then end up with something the majority didn’t want but had done little to prevent.
If I vote for one of the smaller parties, I know my vote will not put my candidate MP in Parliament; but it is important nevertheless. It is a vote actively taken away from other candidates and put to work. Not to vote at all is a bit like saying I would be happy in a one-party dictatorship where I wasn’t required to think – only to obey. I’ve never been very obedient – – –
Might it be that others shared your attitude and, as a result, lovable Michael G got himself elected?
Possibly or maybe people voting who don’t actually have an opinion. I still think I was best to wait until I had formed one (even if it did take a rather long time).