By AMY RILEY
One Citizen's Perspective

July 18 is an election day. It is the beginning of an election season that will culminate in November with the election of our next president. Countless generations have looked upon the election process with varying degrees of reverence and import.

During times of war, we look for the candidate who is most capable of resolving the conflict favorably for the U.S. with the fewest American casualties. During times of economic crisis, we look for the candidate who is most capable of stimulating our economy in ways that will create jobs, build wealth and reduce debt. During times of internal civil unrest, we look for the candidate who is most capable of enveloping the American citizenry in the cloak of “We hold these truths to be self evident....”

We look for the candidates who inspire us to greatness, who are informed and have a love of country. We look to those who look to us and promise to represent us truthfully, respectfully and honorably.

Throughout our history, we have faced as a nation issues and eras which have brought us to our knees in humility and to our feet in exultation. We've seen “the best of times and the worst of times.” Throughout, we were a passionate people, a moral people — never a complacent people.

Now it seems, the best of times are the worst of times. We are at the same time rich and poor. We are successful failures. We sit in the lap of luxury and the seat of despair. What we need is a reckoning with ourselves. If most people no longer trust our government, we need to ask ourselves why and mobilize ourselves for change.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a Nebraska law banning partial birth abortion, or D&X (dilation and extraction), presented an “undue burden” on women seeking abortions. I'll spare you a description of the procedure because those of you who know what is entailed already bear spiritual wounds from the knowing. Those of you who don't — well, it's up to you to involve yourself or not. The fact is that slightly over half of Americans believe abortion is wrong except in cases where the mother's life is in danger. Many of those who approve of abortion disapprove of the partial birth procedure, which legally could be performed at any time during the pregnancy.

What do we do when the U.S. Supreme Court “interprets” the law in a manner that most citizens consider to be unconstitutional? We vote. We organize, we protest, we lobby, we align ourselves with campaigns and candidates who reflect our views, but first and foremost — we vote.

Twice the U.S. Congress has passed a law to ban partial birth abortion and twice President Clinton has vetoed the bill. Twice the U.S. House of Representatives has overridden that veto, and twice the U.S. Senate has failed to come up with the necessary two thirds vote — by three votes. Paul Coverdell voted to override Clinton's veto. Max Cleland voted to uphold partial birth abortion.

Now the U. S. House of Representatives is trying a third time. We won't get the chance this time, but next time Cleland's name appears on a ballot, we can vote him out.

Within two years, census figures will be used to reapportion congressional and state legislative seats. For the first time ever, Georgia could become a Republican majority state. Vote. Put the right candidates in the statehouse now to fight for fair districting.

Check voting records of incumbents. Ask local commissioners and school board members how prior statehouse voting has affected their local endeavors. Find out who represented Fayette and who failed us.

According to the Center for Voting and Democracy, 95.8 million Americans voted in the November 1996 presidential election — less than half of the eligible electorate. In the 1998 congressional elections, 36.4 percent of eligible American voters participated. Of a list of 23 industrialized nations, Americans were dead last in voter turnout for congressional elections and next to last in turnout for presidential elections, according to the latest voting records.

Imagine that your son or daughter, husband or father was one of those patriots who lay mangled on a battlefield during the revolution to purchase with blood your right to vote. Choose your issues, find your candidates, work if you can, but vote.

Consider that the next elected president will appoint three, maybe more, U.S. Supreme Court justices. Roe vs. Wade will be revisited by the court that will be configured by our next president. Global government vs. national sovereignty will begin to be addressed by our next president.

If you think we have something here worth fighting for, then get down off that fence. Teach your children what democracy means. Tell them that voting is a right, a privilege, an honor, and a responsibility. Show them — take them with you to the polls.

If you don't think any of this matters, then do nothing. That's the thing about complacency — you just do nothing.

[Your comments are welcome at: ARileyFreePress@aol.com.

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