POLITICS: The possible political position of non voters

I’M not ashamed to admit that I am politically ignorant. I think a lot of people are. What does concern me is the well-being of our country and its people, which is largely dependent on our government and our political system.

To know that less than 60% of registered voters chose to vote in the municipal elections on Wednesday, to me, represents a problem. However, to direct blame entirely towards the non voters and label them as apathetic or even as bad citizens lacking in civic duty, is not constructive in my books.

So in the spirit of constructive debate, it would be useful to put ourselves in the shoes of the non voters, so to speak, and try to better understand their possible position. In a country where political party posters are hidden in basements, polling stations are burnt to the ground, and violence is used to deter or instill fear in voters, one might understand where the non voters are coming from.

This is not an apathetic viewpoint of “my vote won’t make a difference”, but perhaps the idea that our democracy and political system, at least a significant part of it, is corrupt, and the chances of the voting process being tampered with are so high.

So how do we move forward and address this? It is undeniable that we live in a capitalist society which arguably creates a mentality of achievement, recognition and status. Being the president of the country or ‘high up’ in politics is no doubt a powerful position that comes with a large salary, prestige and numerous benefits.

It is arguable that entering this position from a less privileged position in society can have a profound effect on ones values. Egotism and ambition in the context of political power may manifest at the cost of principle. “Power breeds corruption” so the saying goes.

So I put it to you: if the prestige and prosperity that comes with being in a position of political power were defocused, would more politicians who are genuinely interested in leading on principle, not surface? Perhaps at the loss of those who are not?

With regards to the democratic voting process; in my philosophy, where there’s a queue, there’s room for improvement. Why are we not afforded the option to vote electronically? We all have unique fingerprints and computers are far more accurate and efficient at handling numbers as opposed to people. I understand that the major issue would be that an electronic system of some kind could be subject to being rigged or hacked, but is there really much difference in risk when voting with pen and paper?

Please excuse my ignorance. I am more than willing to be educated on such matters.

Daily Maverick article: Don't vote. It's your right

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DEMOCRACY: And South Africa's political system

I have a friend; let’s call him Ken. Ken supports and believes in democracy, but refuses to vote. He is proudly South African, but does not support the South African political system.

In a country where political party posters are hidden in basements, polling stations are burnt to the ground, and violence is used to deter or instill fear in voters, I can see where Ken is coming from. This is not democracy or a democratic system.

This is not an apathetic viewpoint of “my vote won’t make a difference”, but rather the idea that our democracy and political system is corrupt and the chances of votes being tampered with are so high. Watch the news after voting day and I guarantee that you will hear or read about several cases of corruption.

Ken has an idea for democracy: electing a body of representatives from different sectors of society who regularly bring key decisions to the table and then offer these to the public to vote on. I believe the last civilization to really exercise a truly democratic system of this nature where the ancient Greeks with the senate. I understand that Swiss politics operates in a similar manner today.

No El Presidente. No single person with absolute power. If history is ANY guide, power corrupts, and no one man should ever be given so much power whose decisions affect everyone. We should be cautious of anything that is so powerful, even in a so-called democracy.

Spread the power. Give more people a stronger voice in politics. While we continue to endure a state of social and political evolution, there will always be differences and conflicts of interest. If one particular party with a particular agenda is elected, this evolution will be moulded in their favour. The voices and opinions of the public will be drowned out; at least until the next elections a few years down the line when this whole process happens again.

Part 2: The possible political position of non voters
Daily Maverick Article: Don't vote. It's your right

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OBAMA: And racial equality in the United States

I WATCHED Obama’s acceptance speech followed by McCain’s address quite intently and was disheartened to realise how racial prejudices still prevail in the 21st century.

Now I’m not one to stereotype, but during the cutaway shots of the booing McCain supporters I noticed either really old (possibly backward-thinking) white supporters or ‘redneck’ resembling folk – with one sporting a handle-bar looking tache with a baby slung over his shoulder. I half expected to see some of the McCain supporters holding guns.

What I found more disturbing were some statistics concerning the racial demographic of the United States. According to Reuters:

• The poverty rate for ‘blacks’ is still three times that of ‘whites’
• 'Blacks' are twice as likely to be unemployed as ‘whites’
• 'Blacks' are six times more likely to be murdered than ‘whites’, and
•  Seven times more likely to end up in jail.

People in the streets of Chicago spoke of how Barack Obama has achieved the dream of racial equality that civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. described on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington some 45 years ago.

This was a man who saw drug addiction rip families and communities apart, saw gangs turn neighborhoods into war zones, saw schools in inner city neighborhoods crumble with neglect after whites fled to the suburbs.

Such violence, crime and social problems which plagued the black community set in after the civil rights movement failed to deliver equal opportunity alongside equal rights.

It was a time when people remained hopeful yet was also a time when people saw that hope die in 1968 when King was assassinated.

If racial equality is to be achieved this time around, the black community will have to hold onto the hope and optimism which erupted the crowd during the Obama speech.

“The country is changing”, said Obama. “Anything is possible now. [But] this victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change."

Obama's election was "a historic moment in breaking down racial barriers in the United States" but it remains to be seen if "this moment in history inspires us to significantly change our behavior and the way we treat each other" (Conrad Worrill, co-founder of the National Black United Front).

- original text supplied by Reuters.

Related posts:

• Debunking xenophobia
• Martin Luther King Jr. - His biography and his day

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