“I hate politicians!”

“They’re all the same!”

“Who cares?!”

We have all heard these passionate statements from friends and family all too often, but how can this attitude be justified? Politics, whether we like it or not, literally rules our lives!

Simply going to the ballot box and voting for one person over another may very well determine whether or not you can keep that extra ten percent of your paycheck. Convincing others to for one person could determine how much you have pay for food. Donating money to a certain candidate would determine whether your local park or library receives sufficient funding

The votes of a few people have set the course of history multiple times within the past decade. The most famous example is the election of Texas Governor George W. Bush for president. On Election Day, 537 people out of the millions of people in the divided nation decided the events of the rest of history. You have to ask yourself what would have happened had those 537 people voted for Vice-President Al Gore? Would there still be an Iraqi dictator named Saddam Hussein? Would we have taken a more aggressive approach to global warming?

Your opinion matters too. Opinionated people have an influence over the people to whom they talk. In fact whenever a person believes something strongly proclaim it, that idea enters into the chaos of thoughts that is the brain. That new though is run against the others and a conclusion is drawn from it. More often than not, if that opinion is about something that matters, it becomes a call to action to advocate it, analyze it more, or oppose. In politics, where most people are receptive or apathetic, a strong influence can translate into votes for a candidate thus affecting change as part of the will of the people. This is what a democratic-republic is built upon. Imagine Bill O’ Reilly or Keith Olbermann on a much smaller scale. Their opinions assimilate into the minds and ideologies of their viewers. Their broadcast motivates their loyal viewers to fight for whatever their cause may be at the time. That political power works in the same way on the micro-scale, that political “go-to” person indirectly motivates their audience to fight for his cause, only if he or she effectively sells it to them.

In short, denying participation is only your loss. Knowing what is going on empowers you with independent thought when someone’s trying to deceive. No one wants to be a “useful idiot,” not to your friends, not to your community, and certainly not to the government. Complacency and apathy effectively removes the obstacles set in place by the Constitution to prevent evil from wreaking havoc. By simply saying “I don’t care,” you get steamrolled by those with convictions. If you wake up one fay asking what happened to your freedoms, don’t complain; you approved it! By acting on your beliefs, you influence others to adopt those same beliefs and fight with you whether it is for poverty, environment, or religion. Imparting your worldview through politics is the ultimate vehicle to preach through.

To ignore politics is to refuse to care for anything. When you adopt ignorance in the face of reason, unpleasant surprises await. From “beyond-sky-high” taxes to the inability to speak your mind, the fear of restriction can motivate a movement just as well, if not better, than a proactive idea.

Let your voice be heard!

Let freedom ring!