Stand up and Vote

by
Jaime O. Perez



It’s time to go vote. There is an early voting location near you that will open from April 30 to May 8. There will also be numerous precincts open where you may cast your vote on May 12, Election Day. In El Paso there are approximately 367,000 registered voters.

Yet, in any given election there are 40,000 to 60,000 voters that take their civic responsibility seriously and demand of themselves to take the time to keep America vibrant and democratic. This year there is no citywide race generating widespread interest. One would think adding another $230 million in debt and transferring governmental control to an unelected city manager would be so important to most citizens as to create a stampede to the nearest precinct. But, sadly, that is not the case.

Yet, it seems there are hundreds of thousands of complainers; indolent; self-indulgent; unwilling to take the responsibility of the title citizen. To be a citizen is to deserve it. Citizenship is a duty and a status earned by caring about our community. It belongs to those that take responsibility for their community and its problems, for the successes and failures of our neighborhoods and for the vitality of our institutions and businesses.

Thousands of immigrants risk their lives to participate in the American dream. But, those Americans who were bestowed rights and liberties by privilege of birth often disdain those constitutional gifts. A citizen is a man or woman worthy of respect; an individual that understands his or her place in the community and duty to do right by it. A resident who does not vote, who cares so little about the issues affecting the community they remain perennial uninformed and easily manipulated, deserves what he or she gets.

Vote



The stakes in this election are high. There are those running for office puppets of the powerful and wealthy who would fleece the city and transfer all public assets belonging to taxpayers to the private portfolio of a handful of wealthy developers. Make no mistake; this city is controlled by self-serving, egotistical, and insatiably greedy elitists. Every day, they laugh scornfully at the majority of residents in this town who complain but refuse their civic responsibility, their duty of citizenship.

Why?



Why should those in control worry about criticism leveled at them by those who know the issues and fight the good fight? Why should they worry about government watchdogs that point out their hidden maneuverings, unethical collusion and illegal activity? Why should they care about the sensibilities of residents and natives of all races who live every day with the stress of feeding their families? Why should they care about the elderly and disabled who struggle every single day to get around, deal with illness, pay bills and maintain a semblance of quality of life. Why should they care about citizens collectively losing their public land assets that had been set aside to maintain potable water for the city to private mega-billionaire investment games? Why should they care a few entrepreneurs will lose their businesses downtown in order to cut huge deals with monopoly cartels and insider investment deals? Why should the wealthy and powerful and their puppets care about anything except their personal and corporate prosperity? They don’t care because you don’t vote. Simple. End of story. Remember, It Is Your Land & Money... Vote..

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This perspective first appeared in Border Observer, Jaime O. Perez, Editor