This is a static copy of In the Rose Garden, which existed as the center of the western Utena fandom for years. Enjoy. :)

#1 | Back to Top11-06-2006 10:45:32 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

[USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

That's right. Tomorrow it's time for midterm elections! You know, Senate, all that crap no one pays attention to. You in the US? Voting age? FUCKING VOTE.

Does it matter, you ask? Of course it doesn't. You're using rigged Diebold machines and even if they do count your vote right, you're probably in a brutally gerrymandered district. I'll vote tomorrow in Dade County, knowing very well the likelihood of my predominantly Democrat votes are just going to get flushed down the drain or magically converted to Republican votes, as they've found several machines in my area doing.

My message is this: IT DOESN'T MATTER. Vote anyway. I don't care what your politics are. I don't care if you vote for a guy with a swastika on his arm and goosestepping interns, just fucking vote. The reason our government is in the shape it's in, and the reason we get no good options come voting time, is that they know: we aren't voting anyway. The US has one of the WORST voter turnouts of any democratic nation period. So much for being number one. So much for being a trendsetter.

Your vote won't mean a damn thing. It won't change the world, it won't elect a great leader that's going to make things better. But voting is the only way to show the powers that be that we're paying attention. We've stopped doing that, and that's why everything's in the shitter. Turn your eyes on the people that govern us now, and maybe in 10 or 20 years they'll have to actually answer to us.

So vote. VOTE. You know what a low voter turn-out says? 'Oh you're doing fine, keep that up.' And whichever side of the fence you're on, whether you support the war or not, whether you believe in gay marriage or don't...NO ONE is satisfied with the government we're getting right now. Your vote won't change it. Even if we elect Democrats, it's a different dog with fleas. But voting is the only real power we're universally given, and if we don't show an interest in using it, both parties are going to abuse that disinterest.

VOTE.


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#2 | Back to Top11-06-2006 10:55:50 PM

SleepDebtFairy
Revolutionary
From: Washington DC
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 2096
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

I can finally vote now.

...

I think I've forgotten if I've already registered or not, though. Wait.. I think I did. emot-confused

But anyway, this was beautiful, and I'll remember that. etc-love It's a shame how many people just waste their votes by not using them.

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#3 | Back to Top11-06-2006 11:55:42 PM

ShatteredMirror
Yaoi Pet #1
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: 10-22-2006
Posts: 8858

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

No on 85! And get rid of the Governator!

Unfortunately for me, I live in California.


Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source.

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#4 | Back to Top11-07-2006 12:18:46 AM

Yasha
Bitch Queen
From: Edmonton, AB, Canada
Registered: 10-15-2006
Posts: 6031
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

Uh oh! I think someone listened to me for once...

Although I don't have to vote, cause I'm cool like that. cool And by cool, I mean 'stuck in the frozen wastelands of Canadia, where the dollar coin is called the loony because of the crazy woman on the back'. emot-biggrin


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#5 | Back to Top11-07-2006 12:22:45 AM

ShatteredMirror
Yaoi Pet #1
From: Sacramento, CA
Registered: 10-22-2006
Posts: 8858

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

I like Canadia. It's cold and there are people who feed me there.


Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source.

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#6 | Back to Top11-07-2006 01:25:32 AM

Tamago
God of Comedy
From: Minami Goushuu
Registered: 10-17-2006
Posts: 14280
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

In Australia, it is compulsory to vote in federal elections.  The main problem over here is that a lot of people who cannot be bothered either end up posting Donkey votes or Protest votes.  Combined with the fact that most people tend to always vote for the same party no matter what, which leaves only about 5% of the adult population (Swinging voters) which decides who will win the next election.

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#7 | Back to Top11-07-2006 06:08:30 AM

Dani
IRG Messiah
From: Virginia, USA
Registered: 10-22-2006
Posts: 361

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

YES, VOTE!! No matter how you feel or what side you're on, just vote.

I went to the Webb rally last night with former President Clinton (I'm in Virginia and we have one of the four closest Senate races). He rocked the house! I've got friends working the polls today and I'm going to vote within the hour. If Webb can beat Allen, then the Dems have a great shot at getting the Senate. Virginia has an anti-gay marriage bill on the ballot this year too (a ploy to get the vote out for Republican candidates) which is stupid because there are already laws in Virginia against same sex marriage so this is redundant. Sadly, it will probably pass anyway but we have to  try. Keep your fingers crossed!

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#8 | Back to Top11-07-2006 08:19:17 AM

mercurynin
Flourishing Verderer
From: Honolulu, HI
Registered: 10-21-2006
Posts: 638

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

I'm going to vote, then spend the rest of the day with *shudder* the Michigan Republican Party at their election night party (I refuse to call it a "victory party.")  I didn't choose to hang out with them; I volunteered to cover an election night party for my university paper, and they stuck me with the elephants.  *sigh*  Such is the fate of a journalism major.


You know our hearts beat time out very slowly.  You know our hearts beat time -- they are waiting for something that'll never arrive.

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#9 | Back to Top11-07-2006 08:40:22 AM

Mylene
Fighting Evil By Moonlight
From: Next to Paradox
Registered: 10-19-2006
Posts: 3704

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

This will be my first year voting.  I've long since been of voting age, I just had such a hatred of all national candidates that I refused to vote for the lesser of several evils, and was in a bit of a transitory stage so voting for the local stuff literally had no meaning.  However, this has changed, so I'll start my voting self off with some 'midterm' voting.

Of course, I'm still upset over the concept of the Primaries.  Why in the hell do New Hampshire and Iowa get to have so much power in deciding candidates?  They really need to change primaries so that half of the candidates haven't already dropped out before they get to my state.

...one of the hotly contested races is in Indiana.  Baron Hill versus Soderling.  Thank God I don't have to vote for either of them (wrong district or whatever it's called), but I still get stuck listening to their mudslinging, obnoxious as hell, make me not want to be involved in politics, television ads.  Ugh.

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#10 | Back to Top11-07-2006 09:02:24 AM

tohubohu
Precious One
From: Boston metro area
Registered: 11-02-2006
Posts: 289
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

Desperately... want... Dem... governor!

Massachusetts, which has some of the most staunchly Democratic federal reps, has been trapped in Republican governor HELL for the last 16 years.  I'm clinging to the hope that Deval Patrick will win, because another Repub will completely destroy the state...

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#11 | Back to Top11-07-2006 10:07:21 AM

Razara
Marionette Mistress
From: Wuzzy Happy Akio Town (What?)
Registered: 10-17-2006
Posts: 4694

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

If you watch very, very carefully, you can see that reason why Mitsuru wants to be an adult is actually because he's not old enough to vote.

I'm not old enough to vote. Even if one vote did make a difference, my opinion still wouldn't matter. However, I completely understand why they don't let teenagers vote, because if they did, we would end up with the most irresponsible president in the election.

Teenager 1: "Say, who are you going to vote for?"

Teenager 2: "Well, I agree with _____'s views... But with a haircut like that?"

Teenager 1: "I know what you mean. Let's vote for the other guy."

If you're old enough to vote, then please do so. If you don't vote, then don't complain if you don't like the person who gets elected.

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#12 | Back to Top11-07-2006 11:42:29 AM

satyreyes
no, definitely no cons
From: New Orleans, Louisiana
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 10328
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

Razara wrote:

Teenager 1: "Say, who are you going to vote for?"

Teenager 2: "Well, I agree with _____'s views... But with a haircut like that?"

Teenager 1: "I know what you mean. Let's vote for the other guy."

In my fantasies, Teens 1 and 2 then go into the voting booth and vote for ____, and pretend otherwise to each other for the rest of their lives.  I like to think that in the privacy of the voting booth, people vote for who they think is the best choice, not for who they think they ought to think is the best choice.

I'm in Florida, where everyone knows the Republicans will get the governorship and the Democrats will retain the Senate seat.  I'm not in a competitive district, either.  So pretty much all I can do is vote for the best candidates (usually not the Republicans or Democrats), and do my part to get the eminent domain amendment passed.

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#13 | Back to Top11-07-2006 11:44:02 AM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

Razara wrote:

Adult 1: "Say, who are you going to vote for?"

Adult 2: "Well, I agree with _____'s views... But with a haircut like that?"

Adult 1: "I know what you mean. Let's vote for the other guy."

Fixed for reality. emot-gonk


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#14 | Back to Top11-07-2006 01:13:45 PM

G&Ysnumber1fan
Tenjou Tilter
From: On the Isle of Lesbos
Registered: 10-25-2006
Posts: 82
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

I vote because it is my right to vote, besides, I would doing a great disservice to the older generations in my family who were probably ridiculed and called horrific things when they tried to go and vote before the change in legislative law allowed them to vote in the South.


Akio..and James Brown(R.I.P.) have two things in common:
1)They are sex machines...
2)They are the only ones that could possibly make jumping over the windshield of a car look effortless..

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#15 | Back to Top11-07-2006 04:12:43 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

G&Ysnumber1fan wrote:

I vote because it is my right to vote, besides, I would doing a great disservice to the older generations in my family who were probably ridiculed and called horrific things when they tried to go and vote before the change in legislative law allowed them to vote in the South.

Good, someone's making up for my mom's boyfriend, who doesn't give a rat's ass.

Yasha wrote:

Uh oh! I think someone listened to me for once...

You shush.

Anyway! Vote CAST. Felt so good NOT to vote for that maniac Harris. cool However, they changed the voting location on me WITHOUT ANY SORT OF NOTIFICATION, so I ended up walking to the voting location, but hay, free workout. I get there and see my name, my brother's name (yeah don't even bother to ask), and MY FATHER'S NAME. Please note: My father's been dead for 13 years. Started quite a commotion, no one believed me when I said that, lol.

So there. Go go Diebold machine that will magically turn my votes Republican!


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#16 | Back to Top11-07-2006 04:20:35 PM

Imaginary Bad Bug
Revolutionary
From: Connecticut, USA
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 2171
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

I voted!  Put in my work day, then on my way home stopped at my voting place, and did my part!

And in my state, every vote will matter this time around, so if the ones I voted for don't win, at least I let them know they had one more supporter than they otherwise would have.  Maybe that one vote will make the difference after all!

Last edited by Imaginary Bad Bug (11-07-2006 04:23:37 PM)


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#17 | Back to Top11-07-2006 06:16:52 PM

Hinotori
The Notable Death Mantis
From: Soviet Ohiostan
Registered: 10-23-2006
Posts: 1335

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

Mmmm, I voted for some liars, crooks, and babyfuckers.

I can't wait to get my prize.


Hinotori made this post, and then went back and changed it later. Such is life.

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#18 | Back to Top11-07-2006 06:43:30 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

Hinotori wrote:

Mmmm, I voted for some liars, crooks, and babyfuckers.

I can't wait to get my prize.

Your prize is another two years of utterly retarded bullshit and poorly managed immeasurable wealth and power.

People in power should be paid according to how they please us, instead of how they please big industries. But a girl can dream. emot-frown


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#19 | Back to Top11-07-2006 07:33:09 PM

SleepDebtFairy
Revolutionary
From: Washington DC
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 2096
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

Just came back from voting for the first time. etc-love ..didn't know much about the candidates, but oh well. There was also a bill that I voted on, and those are more fun because I can read about what it does. Yay education funding!

But wow. There were barely any people voting. emot-frown

Last edited by SleepDebtFairy (11-07-2006 07:33:55 PM)

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#20 | Back to Top11-07-2006 07:55:25 PM

Hinotori
The Notable Death Mantis
From: Soviet Ohiostan
Registered: 10-23-2006
Posts: 1335

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

Buh, I'm beginning to think people these days wouldn't elect the guy that was trying to please us because he wasn't a member of the big two.

In 2004 (my first voting experience, haha) I helped out with the campaign of a third party candidate. Intelligent, great guy who personally called everyone who helped out to thank them. He had great opinions and most of the people I talked to about it agreed that if he made good on those things he'd be the perfect candidate.

He got about 200 votes, while we ended up re-electing the douchebag that puts pictures of his family in campaign ads.


Hinotori made this post, and then went back and changed it later. Such is life.

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#21 | Back to Top11-07-2006 08:04:59 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

In my experience, I tend to agree most with third party candidates. I just don't vote for them at times like this, when I know there's no chance whatsoever and a vote placed elsewhere might do more good even if it's not my politics. Frankly the whole two party system has always pissed me off, if we're going to do parties there should be at least five. Two polarizes issues and just makes everything stupid.

That said...MARK FOLEY IS CARRYING A MAJORITY OF VOTES IN FLORIDA.

SERIOUSLY.


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#22 | Back to Top11-07-2006 08:06:48 PM

angelicreation
The Breast Saviour
From: Denver, CO
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 1323
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

I voted today.  It is either going to be a glorius day in Colorado or a very sad day in Colorado.  This year we have Referrendum I and Amendment 43 on our ballot. 

Amendment 43 is a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between one woman and one man.  Referrendum I grants same-sex domestic partners almost all of the legal rights given to spouses.

And now we wait.  Voting Centers technically closed at 7pm.  It is currently 8pm.  There are several centers that still have 2-3 hour long lines.  We will not know what kind of day it will be for Colorado until tomorrow.


My sister turned 18 earlier this year.  I asked her if she registered to vote.  She hadn't and I aske dher why.  Her response was she really wasn't that intereted in politics and, even if she was registered, she probably wouldn't vote.  After a long discussion, I finally got her to realize that even if you don;t think yopu'd vote for anyone, it is your Constitutional RIGHT to vote.  EVERYONE who can legally vote SHOULD be registered.  Yes, you may not feel like there's anyone you want to vote for, but there are things other than just who on the ballots.  Things like Ref I and Amendment 43 are things EVERYONE should have an opinon on.

The only way to guaruntee our rights won't be taken away is to exercise them.


Life is short: break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o202/ninjasin/fate1pu4-1.jpg

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#23 | Back to Top11-07-2006 08:21:44 PM

Giovanna
Ends of the Fandom
From: Edmonton, AB
Registered: 10-12-2006
Posts: 8797
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

angelicreation wrote:

Amendment 43 is a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between one woman and one man.  Referrendum I grants same-sex domestic partners almost all of the legal rights given to spouses.

What makes me sad is that I strongly suspect those amendments get placed to bring out the hard right, since nothing seems to bring them out quite like stomping the rights of people different from them. (IRONY. I. RON. Y.)


Akio, you have nice turns of phrase, but your points aren't clear and you have no textual support. I can't give this a passing grade.
~ Professor Arisa Konno, Eng 1001 (Freshman Literature and Composition)

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#24 | Back to Top11-07-2006 08:32:14 PM

Romanticide
Cow Bellhop
From: Mazatlan
Registered: 10-18-2006
Posts: 447

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

Giovanna wrote:

In my experience, I tend to agree most with third party candidates. I just don't vote for them at times like this, when I know there's no chance whatsoever and a vote placed elsewhere might do more good even if it's not my politics. Frankly the whole two party system has always pissed me off, if we're going to do parties there should be at least five. Two polarizes issues and just makes everything stupid.

That said...MARK FOLEY IS CARRYING A MAJORITY OF VOTES IN FLORIDA.

SERIOUSLY.

Here in México the goverment sponsorns the parties... and we have more than five and all just plain useless emot-gonkemot-gonkemot-gonk

Good luck with your elections guys, hope you get at least the "lesser worse" as your governants.

Our new president will take over in one month... and I already think this country will go down the flush... if it hasn't alreasdy emot-gonk  Rumors say he is planning to eliminate public college education emot-gonk

Here in Mexico the ways of cheating are varied... and legendary.We got the same party in power for 70 years, cheating over and over again. In fact everybody was surprised when at the elections of 2000 won a candidate from another party. (He turned out to be an imbecile though... at least the others had a brain -.-)

I really mean it, good luck.


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#25 | Back to Top11-07-2006 08:35:40 PM

angelicreation
The Breast Saviour
From: Denver, CO
Registered: 10-16-2006
Posts: 1323
Website

Re: [USofA] 11/7! Vote like it matters! Maybe someday it will.

The same reason they actually manange to get on the ballot - to bring the stomping left out.

I'm a non-evil Republican.  I'm a memeber of the party because the political p[arties were originally founded on economical positions.  The social aspect was not originally inteded when the system was created.  I am economically conservative but socially liberal.  If you roll the Republican party back to before the Bible thumping bigots decided to shove that social dribble into the poltical system, you find the party I feel I belong to.  I am moderate.  I continue to be part of the Republican party, despite being bi-sexual and agnostic, because, not only doI dislike the Democrat party's economical positions (mostly), but I also feel there has to be reasonable people in the Republican party. 

I vote purple.


Life is short: break the rules, forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably, and never regret anything that made you smile.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o202/ninjasin/fate1pu4-1.jpg

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