Why vote
Media
Part of The Carolinian
- Title
- Why vote
- Language
- English
- Source
- The Carolinian Volume XV (Issue No. 9) October 1951
- Year
- 1951
- Rights
-
- Fulltext
- Published by the students of the University of Son Carlos Cebu City Philippines Octo6ci ■ 1951 C. FAIGA0 CARMEN O. GONZALEZ b^P. or S°LNATt 1 c. 3 1 5 8 I? I Occt The Queen of the most Wky Vote? I once met a fellow who said that he would never vote again. “Why vote, when I run the risk of not only losing my birthrights, but also my life?” He immediately recalled some cases of terror ism in the polls during the last elections, and he was quick to cite newspaper accounts about instances of election frauds which were mostly alleged but may not have been proven, just so that he might be justified in deciding not to vote again. The poor fellow was laboring under a very dangerous phobia and he expected other people to partake of his irrational fear of what might happen to him at the polls. He is the worst kini of an alarmist who would make his friends give away their only potent weapon to right wrongs in the most legal way. He may be able to sway weaklings who have too soon lost faith in the gov ernment because they have lost faith in the administration which he blames for past election frauds and terrorism. But he would only be talking through his hat if he confronted people who could never lose faith in our government under a Constitution which guarantees and safeguards our civic rights. He is confused. He needs a bit of enlightening advice not only for his own good but also for the good of other people. If one should lose faith in the administration, is it reasonable for him to give up his right to vote? Any right-minded citizen who is not a fair-weather patriot would surely be justly indignant if asked not to vote again. If he is of the belief that his candidate is more capable of handling office, there is more reason for voting in order that he may better have his influence felt in the choice of the men he would like to get elected to public office. Even revolutionists and reformers look up to the right oj suffrage as a fundamental right in a democracy. It is regarded as an obligation we can never dispense with. It is the only effective weapon of the masses against unwarranted encroachments on their rights. Only defeatists and professional pessimists can be bamboo zled into inaction and indiferrence by the hallucinations and the haunting bad dreams of the past elections which they seem unable to dispel from their confused memory. Can’t we let bygones be bygones when those who are con cerned have made up their minds to see to it that fraud and terror ism will not occur again? All of us students and good citizens should, therefore, vote this November, exert our influence to safeguard the sanctity of the ballot, and get up enough courage to expose irregularities should any be committed. We are not alone in performing these civic obligations. The National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) sponsored by civic-spirited and influential organizations such as the Lions, K of C, Rotarians, Jaycees, etc., is unconditionally backing us up. And vote we shall because we should and must. No country can be really free whose citizens renegue their highest right and privilege — the right to the ballot.