A Reason to Vote

Submitted by Jason Ellis
    Voting is a right that I sometimes believe that we as Americans have taken for granted. Throughout our country’s history our people have fought to ensure every citizen has the right to vote. Sometimes we don’t appreciate the rights we have as Americans until they are gone.
    The importance of having voting rights became apparent to me while serving in Baghdad, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a 24 year old Army staff sergeant in an infantry company I witnessed the first Iraqi national election after 52 years of military dictatorship. The people of Iraq had not been able to vote in elections since 1953. On January 30, 2005, the day of the election, my platoon was tasked with guarding several polling places around Baghdad to prevent terrorists from disrupting the Iraqi people’s ability to vote. We were all nervous as to what that day would hold because reports had indicated there would likely be strong enemy resistance to the electoral process. 
    A mandatory ban on vehicle travel was instituted that day in order to deter the use of Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIED). Our unit was ordered to keep a distance away from polling places, patrol between the voting precincts, and enforce the vehicle ban while being prepared to act as a quick reaction force if any attacks happened in our area of operation. 
    As a young man I knew that day was going to be important and I prayed all of my men would make it through that day. Early in the morning before daylight we staged up ready for battle with our vehicles on Main Supply Route (MSR) Tampa in Baghdad. As the sun began to rise I had doubted the voters would even show up for fear of their own lives. 
    However, much to my surprise, one by one Iraqi citizens began to walk from their homes to the polling places. First it was a few here and there in the morning and by afternoon thousands lined the streets. Some were barefoot walking to cast their votes sometimes many miles from their homes. The Iraqi voters would pass by our vehicles waving Iraqi flags and giving us the thumbs up all day long. Voters would smile from time to time and show us the blue ink on their fingers which they received as they cast their votes. 
    I talked at length to a man from the area that day who thanked me and our country for what we had given to his people. He explained to me that he had been forced to hide underground for over 20 years while Saddam Hussein was in power. He was an enemy of the old regime and if they had found him he would have been killed. I remember this man and his story even though it has been nearly ten years since we met in Iraq. He was very thankful for his freedom to finally live amongst his family without fear of persecution.
    My experience in Iraq taught me a first-hand lesson on the importance of voting. We all have lessons to learn in life and we can all try to be better citizens by making the time and effort to vote. Our 32nd President Franklin D. Roosevelt said to us, “Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.” 
    On May 3rd the people of Central will elect Mr. Washington or myself for the fifth and final council seat of this great city. I ask you to please consider making an effort to vote in this and all future elections. Bring your kids to the polls; show them how to vote. Be a good example for them and teach them how to exercise our precious right to vote. God Bless.