One more day I'd like to briefly consider . . . the first Tuesday following the first Monday of November. This year it's November 3. Every other year it's a day for federal elections.
And it should be a national holiday.
I bring this up with the spirit of Juneteenth in mind. Juneteenth reminds us of the messy, halting progress we've made on matters of racial justice in our nation. Suffrage rights for black Americans were another delayed promise: granted in the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, but not really delivered until the 1960s. And still informal barriers prevent many Americans from voting.
Let's get closer to doing this right.
Making the day on which we have federal elections every other year a holiday every year will remove at least one significant barrier for many Americans who wish to vote but don't. And for those who are already civically engaged, let the extra day away from work be a day of community service, perhaps working at the polls. Or knock doors for a candidate. Or blog about the political issues on one's mind on election day.
Let's be a little less imperfect about honoring the greatest right of citizenship, the right to vote.
1 comment:
This is a great thought.
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