by Eddie “Edito” DeWeaver
Witnessing my father experience negative contact with law enforcement helped to form the false belief system of a fourteen- year-old, “that nothing I could do would change the world.” At that time, I had no idea how far I was away from the truth. Now sitting in this prison cell, I can say that I did change the world…for the bad. Fortunately, my story continues to get better, as I began to rst take responsibility for my past, and also, to believe in my power to impact the future…for the good.
When it comes to voting, if you believe that what you do today will change the future, then you must vote with purpose. However, if you don’t believe that your vote will impact your world, then I challenge you to follow the money! When you investigate and nd out how much money is spent in elections you will be forced to recognize that your vote really does count, for all of this money spent in elections is to get your vote. Never believe the lie that one vote, your vote, does not count. It is your civic duty not to allow people who are not concerned about your wellbeing to decide your future. Your vote will change the world.
“Election season” are words that can be misleading. California votes in the middle of the year to pass laws. Seats in the House of Representatives and in the Senate are elected every two to six years and often on non-presidential election years. Trust is a big issue with misleading TV ads, so do your homework before you vote. Voting has become a year-round responsibility.
On another note: Incarcerated Americans are not the largest disenfranchised voting group in the US. The gold medal belongs to teenagers, who the law does not recognize as being competent to vote. Yet ironically, this same system can nd a child who is not able to legally vote, able to be charged as an adult and go to prison. This contradiction appears to be recti able by one of two ways. Either bring the legal voting age down to the same lower age limit that a minor can be charged as an adult for a crime or allow all prisoners to vote in all elections.