Aaron's Two Cents

KEEP IT GOING by Aaron Gilman

As a Russian immigrant, who came to this country in 1978 with stripped citizenship from Soviet Union and not yet an acquired citizenship of the United States, I couldn’t wait to vote. It took seven long years before I finally could. I voted religiously ever since. It meant something, I was passionate about it. However, the last four elections, I found myself voting against someone rather than for someone. I was disillusioned, unimpressed and indifferent. The action lost its meaning. I no longer felt passionate nor driven.

We as a nation seemed to have lost our mojo, became complacent, fat and lazy. It seems as though we do not care or perhaps think we are unable to make a change because we feel it will be imposed on us by the ruling class (corporations) and media controlled by the ruling class. The process that was so revolutionary and noble has become empty and futile. The new generation doesn’t know, doesn’t care doesn’t do anything. Why? Because the prevailing thought is – we cannot deliver change. We are powerless against the multimillion dollar corporations and the supportive media. The grass roots approach is dead. Can we blame them for thinking that way? What is left of hope?

We must carry on, believe in ourselves, believe we can make a difference. But to do so, we must once again become a part of the machine – the political process. We must make our minds up. We must choose. We must vote! Hope will live if we keep it alive.