Music to Vote By
Posted on November 2, 2004 Posted by John Scalzi 11 Comments
My daughter, who is five years old, dragged her butt out of bed an hour and a half early so she could go and pretend to vote at the Kids Voting USA table at our polling place. Because she wanted to.
If a kid who won’t legally be able to vote until 2018 can get herself to the polls, then your legally-eligible-to-vote ass has no possible excuse not to. Vote.
Your music for today: Shenandoah, by The Yale Spizzwinks(?), and the “(?)” is apparently part of the name. A soothing tune for a nervous time.
I prefer the version of Shenandoah performed by Van Morrison and The Chieftains.
Hooray for Athena Scalzi! I voted last week; today I gave blood. I didn’t have to get up early to do it, though.
TWO AND A HALF HOURS!!! That’s how long it took to vote today. I’ve voted in every presidential election since 1992, and I’ve NEVER seen anything like this. My knees are killing me from standing in line that long.
Insane. I guess this is how Democracy works. At least there are people voting. I heard Ohio Secy of State say that they expected a 72% turnout today. Even though it doesn’t SOUND all that great, it’s higher than I’ve heard about in a LONG time.
GO USA!!! GO OHIO!!!
Thanks so much for that musical selection! “Shenandoah” is one of my favorite songs, guaranteed to bring tears to my eyes. I shall keep that song in my heart the rest of today.
Yeah, there were a bunch of kids doing the same thing at my polling place (which happened to be an elementary school). I remember doing the same thing when I was in elementary school. Though, hearing 8 year olds yelling campaign slogans at each other was a bit surreal.
No kids at my polling place at 7:30 this morning, but definitely a much longer line than I’d ever seen at that place, where I’ve been casting my ballots since ’96. I sometimes became a little impatient with the long wait, but whenever that would happen I’d remind myself that such a high turnout is a good thing, especially in a predominantly liberal area such as mine. Then I’d go back to reading my book.
Besides, the long wait enabled me to have a discussion about books with an attractive, slightly older gentleman in front of me. No talk of who was voting for whom. Just books and surround sound systems.
That can never be bad.
I’d say, “Wow, what a wonderful and adorable photo of Athena!” But, well, that goes without saying. And I can’t believe she’s five already. I remember when she was born! As, I daresay, do you, John.
Lovely arrangement/performance.
Athena’s adorableness cheered me up for a good eight seconds.
I remain amazed by the stories of 2.5/hr polling place waits; i’ve never seen such a wait in a polling place, and i’ve worked in one in every election I’ve been eligible to vote in.
Hi John…. I voted on Tuesday!!!…Kerry was my first choice too. Bummer he didn’t make it. California had the most voters out on Tuesday!!!! GO CALI!!!!
Athena is adorable…of course!
I agree completely. If a kid has enough spunk and knowledge to get there ass outta bed so early in the morning, they should be able to legally vote, and the teens below 18, they are intellegent enough to know that politics is more than simply democrats and republicans. I know that, and I ain’t that old.
By the way, BUSH WON HALLELUJIAH PRAISE GOD!!!
And polls were absolutely mad, we almost had a fight over who gets the stand first. Insanity rules in Florida I assume.