In these times more than ever, voting is a patriotic duty that allows citizens not only to exercise, but also to preserve, their freedom.

Monday, November 05, 2001

In these times more than ever, voting is a patriotic duty that allows citizens not only to exercise, but also to preserve, their freedom.

It may not seem like a school levy referendum or a city council election has much to do with our fundamental freedom, but any democratic election is the best and purest way for the populace to exert control over its own collective destiny. That’s what freedom is all about.

The most visible vote Tuesday will be the Albert Lea school district referendum. The biggest injustice would not be whether this measure passes or fails – it would be if voter turnout were low, and if one side that doesn’t truly represent the opinions of the community were able to win the vote because of apathy on the other side. Apathy is indeed the greatest enemy of democracy.

No matter which boxes you plan to check, get out and vote Tuesday. Fifteen minutes of your time is a small price to pay for freedom.