I voted twice on Tuesday.
No, I did not affiliate myself with any organizations that affiliate themselves with nuts. It could have happened to anyone. The man sitting behind the desk innocently pressed the wrong button before he handed me my four-digit code, branding me as a Knoxville city native instead of a country resident. Because of this mishap, the computer left off perhaps the most important vote on the ballot: the amendment to allow restaurants to serve individual alcoholic drinks within the county limits.
That's right, my most important decision this election year concerns the subject of serving Mai Tais to those not living in the city limits. It dictates whether my area will receive a good restaurant or leave me choosing between eating dinner at I-HOP or the Subway in Wal-Mart. Am I shallow? Contrary to your own personal opinion, I don't think so; therefore, I called the election volunteer over to my booth. The kind old man sauntered over with a small crinkle of a smile on his face that revealed a sense of naivety and a willingness to help me in any fashion I so chose. I explained my predicament privately, letting him know I really wanted to vote for the liquor. He proceeded to tell me "this problem hadn't happened in two years", and looked up the answer of how to fix the issue in the trusty, handy-dandy election notebook. Within five minutes, my initial vote, complete with my presidential, senate and house nominees, was reportedly wiped from the voting system, and I stood in line once again with a new four-digit code, ready to vote again. And this time, my vote would count for the liquor amendment. In all, the experience took close to 90-minutes, but I didn't mind. I received extra miles out of the "voting twice" story all day long.
I don't want you to think I took my right to vote with any flippant attitude. The decision on who to vote for in the presidential race did take some time and thought, well before I stepped into the voting booth. But a light bulb finally went off in my head this year as I contemplated my one and only vote: neither the executive nor the legislative branch controls my life. Congress may unanimously vote on a bill that affects my wallet, and the president may sign bills that give or take away some of my national freedom, but the last time I checked, I still make my own decisions on how I live my life. I still choose how I spend my money, who I am compassionate toward, how I spend my free time, etc. Government does not place me in debt, or force me to sit idly in front of my TV. Sure, I may not always agree with the decisions of government, and their votes and signatures may force me to tweak how I live my life, but I am still in control of my own faculties. Until government comes to my bedroom, shuts off my alarm clock, pulls back my covers, lifts my legs out of bed and onto the floor, takes off my pajamas (scary thought), turns on the shower to the right temperature of 110 degrees, bathes me, brushes my teeth, shaves my face to a nice polished shine, dresses me, hands me a cup of coffee and an apple, sits me in my car and points me in the right direction, then I will not worry about who sits behind the desk in the Oval Office. Life is much bigger than that.
Instead, I'll learn how to control my own life and responsibly affect the world the best I can. If I do that, hopefully others' lives will be blessed and bettered by my actions. This is the way I hope to live. This is the way I hope to raise my daughter.
If you would like to discuss this with me, let's get together soon... preferably after they build a good restaurant in my area of town.
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