Ask A Punk: To Vote or Not To Vote
Since The Election Season/Circus is now in full swing, here is a classic Question & Answer.
DEAR ASK A PUNK:
First of all, I have read all of your posts, and your answers were mostly pretty good, but they don’t strike me as especially “punk” so far, but I’ll ask you my question anyway, so here it is: It is an election year, so who do punks vote for? …and shouldn’t they NOT vote? I thought you were all about Anarchy ohhh Anarchy. — Mister ME.
DEAR MM:
Askapunk has been live for just a month and already there’s backlash? …Yow… Now I remember why I have the “comments” turned off on this blog. I think any punk’ll tell you that the amount of energy we have all wasted arguing over what is punk and what isn’t could burn brighter than the sun and power our flying cars for the next fifty years. I’m old enough to remember when “punk” could mean a guy playing an accordion while his girlfriend kept time by beating an overturned shopping cart with an ax handle… It didn’t HAVE to be leather jackets and mohawks (although, obviously it could mean that as well.) …so everyone just calm down.
On to the matter of elections vs. anarchy. I have to think that ours was the last generation that might have had even an outside shot at full-on anarchy-fueled capital “S” Sedition, but even we couldn’t pull it off, and truthfully, things weren’t allllll that bad for a lot of us during most of the late 80’s and 90’s… or not bad enough anyway. Now I fear that the trans-fattened, sugar-addled masses (young & old) are too ill-informed and numbed-out to muster the necessary outrage (and elevated heart rate.) for widespread overthrow because, let’s face it, if it was going to happen it would have happened already. If enough people had been paying attention since ohh, roughly 2001, I think things wouldn’t have gotten as out-of-hand as they’ve now become.
I’ll apologize for my vague-ishness. I desperately do NOT want Askapunk to become a political screed for either side, but since it is Super Tuesday and good Americans everywhere will be casting their votes, I’ll say the following:
I think that this country, when it is functioning best, is like an old-school mosh pit — There is room for plenty of joyous abandon & freedom of expression, but for every elbow you throw you’ve got to be ready and willing to take one in return. Also (and more importantly) there’s the feeling that no matter what, we’re all in this together, so if someone goes down, it is your moral responsibility to reach down and help pull them back up… because next time YOU could be the one needing a hand. Sounds simple doesn’t it? Tooooo bad it isn’t.
So yeah. I think punks should vote. Not only that, I think they should AGITATE and it’s easy! How much time to you spend online per week? Try devoting just 2% of that time to checking up on your congressman and senators. Find out who they are at:
Find your Senator here.
AND
Find your Congressman here.
Drop them a line. Say hello and sound off on something. Sure all you’ll get back is a form letter, but it’s a start… and believe me, their aides DO read each and every email.
You want some real anarchy? If you live in a small town or even a medium city, you would be stunned to learn how easy it can be to get elected to SOMEthing. Start a petition. Get on a ballot. Start shaking things up. Get yourself elected to the local school board and then fire your old principal.
It has to happen sooner or later. Heck, can you imagine how many former hippies are now City Councilmen, Aldermen, Mayors and Selectmen? It’s our turn!! Can you imagine:
HENRY ROLLINS FOR CONGRESS ??
Wouldn’t THAT get the douchebags shaking in their ugly brown shoes (and shirts)? Whether you like Henry or not, you have to admit, that’s one cool idea to think about. Why should the freakin’ Kennedy’s have all the fun?
Here’s one last website for thrill-packed reading: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/charters.html
Get hip to the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. They’re all fairly quick reads. Interesting little fact about the Constitution: The President isn’t mentioned until Article 2. … Article 1 is all about the Legislative Branch, in other words: The Congress…the people who directly represent YOU. You might be surprised to learn how important the Congress is supposed to be. …………….GO VOTE !!