The movie Mississippi Burning is a reminder of the extent to which African-Americans not long ago in the South went to access their constitutional right to vote. People died for the cause. Yet, to what extent today are college students who don't have to face that struggle exercising their right?In Connecticut, according to Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, young people have registered to vote in record numbers. Last month alone, 70,000 people between the ages of 18 to 29 registered to vote. Overall 1.97 million people in the state are registered. Among them, 728,000 are registered Democrats, and 413,000 are registered Republicans.
For those in the state who have not registered to vote, the deadline by mail is Oct. 21 and Oct. 28 for in-person registration at municipal offices.
Given what is witnessed in Mississippi Burning, why is it that some are willing to die to uphold the constitutional right to vote, whereas others with easy access, don’t exercise the right? Post your comments.
Factual information supplied from: http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-voterreg1002.artoct02,0,4369325.story
4 comments:
I believe that when you don't have something, but want it, sometimes you will do anything you can to obtain it. Often times, you may find yourself going to extremes to get it. Today, we have the freedom to vote for all. People from the past risked there lives to get it for us, and now we take it for granted. It has become a sort of unalienable right for us-something that we do not have to give a second thought about- because once we turn 18 we can if we so choose.
Like kelly said; when you can't have something you want it more. However, I think people do not pride themselves on their right to vote because they do not understand how precious that right is. We are fortunate enough to be able to dictate the path our country takes. I don't think people realize that there are countries still in the world where the people have no say in the matter. They simply have to do as their told and be happy with that decision. I for one know that my one vote does count because it means i take that right seriously because i unlike many my age want to be part of a new generation of politically active members.
I believe that the African Americans in Mississippi Burning desired their right to vote to such an extent because to them it was how they could change their situation. If they could not vote for those who could change the state of the United States in terms of racism and segregation, how could their lives change? They would still be treated as a lesser species as exemplified in the scene of Mississippi Burning when one of the members of the KKK tells Mr. Anderson that he would give no more thought to killing an African American than "wringing a cat's neck."
I believe that those with the easy access to vote don't exercise this right because they don't care. Most of them have never lived in a period when this right was denied them. They take their ability to vote for granted. For others, I think that they believe that there is no point in voting because nothing will change. One person's vote can't change the current situation in the United States. This is how they differ from the African Americans in Mississippi Burning.
I think that young people should take advantage of what we have as rights. We are able to choose the person who is going to run our country and have a huge effect on our daily lives and we should make sure we have a voice in such a big deal.
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