03-25-2008, 12:05 AM
I am taking the English comp test with essay soon and after reading this, thought I would give a stab at the essay question posed. Those of you who have "been there and done that" - tell me how you think I would do if this were my question?
The United States government has become so corrupt that people who vote in national elections are wasting their time. Agree or Disagree."
To vote or not to vote â that is the question which faces each of us individually. There are some who, asserting that the government is filled with corruption and acts of crime, have turned their back upon this privilege and responsibility that has been given to each of us living in this land of freedom. Ponder for a moment and decide, those of you with this assertion, is this the correct course of action?
Whether or not the level of corruption within our government has reached a level of such pervasiveness so as to label our very government itself as âcorruptâ is an argument beyond the scope of this thesis. Certainly, one could argue, that as individual citizens, we are ever more aware of corrupt acts that occur within our government. This awareness that we all seem to possess could be proof of the escalation of corruption within our government. It could, however, also be the result of round-the-clock cable news which thrives on reporting such corrupt acts and sometimes even creates stories to pillar up its ratings. For the sake of this argument, however, we will assume that the statement âThe United States government has become so corruptâ is accurate in its description of our government and the time in which we live. Does this, then, give reason to say that those who vote in national elections are wasting their time? What is the value of a vote, your vote?
Imagine for a moment that your right to vote was taken away from you. Neither you, your mother, father, sister, friend or anyone you know is able to have a say in who will lead the nation in which you live or in the individual decisions that will make their impact upon you. Imagine, in fact, that you are abolished from this democratic country and you, instead, are living in a country where you are given no choices as to whom will be in power to make these decisions that will affect your life. It is not by âthe peopleâ that choices are made but rather âfor the people.â Corruption, no doubt, still exists, in fact, it may ever more so prevail. As you picture yourself living in this land where your freedom has been lost, think about the feeling welling up inside of you. Despite the corruption running rampantly around you, what is it you feel? Do you not feel welling up inside of you a feeling of powerlessness? Would you not feel that your voice had been silenced? Think for a moment, about the opportunity that has been lost.
What is the power of a vote? It is as powerful as throwing a single stone into the ocean. While on its own, one stone, when weighed against the strength of the ensuing ocean wave, seems small and weak and one might say that its destiny is only to be thrashed about by the ocean wave. This, however, ignores the power of this single stone to make its mark upon the ocean floor. More importantly, imagine still another stone and another piling upon one another until there are so many stones, the ocean wave must re-route itself around the group of stones.
This is the power of your vote. Your vote can make a difference. Your voice can be heard and if enough voices are heard, the landscape can be changed. Take now that with which you have been empowered, your voice, and let it be heard! Do not complain about the landscape â work to change it.
The United States government has become so corrupt that people who vote in national elections are wasting their time. Agree or Disagree."
To vote or not to vote â that is the question which faces each of us individually. There are some who, asserting that the government is filled with corruption and acts of crime, have turned their back upon this privilege and responsibility that has been given to each of us living in this land of freedom. Ponder for a moment and decide, those of you with this assertion, is this the correct course of action?
Whether or not the level of corruption within our government has reached a level of such pervasiveness so as to label our very government itself as âcorruptâ is an argument beyond the scope of this thesis. Certainly, one could argue, that as individual citizens, we are ever more aware of corrupt acts that occur within our government. This awareness that we all seem to possess could be proof of the escalation of corruption within our government. It could, however, also be the result of round-the-clock cable news which thrives on reporting such corrupt acts and sometimes even creates stories to pillar up its ratings. For the sake of this argument, however, we will assume that the statement âThe United States government has become so corruptâ is accurate in its description of our government and the time in which we live. Does this, then, give reason to say that those who vote in national elections are wasting their time? What is the value of a vote, your vote?
Imagine for a moment that your right to vote was taken away from you. Neither you, your mother, father, sister, friend or anyone you know is able to have a say in who will lead the nation in which you live or in the individual decisions that will make their impact upon you. Imagine, in fact, that you are abolished from this democratic country and you, instead, are living in a country where you are given no choices as to whom will be in power to make these decisions that will affect your life. It is not by âthe peopleâ that choices are made but rather âfor the people.â Corruption, no doubt, still exists, in fact, it may ever more so prevail. As you picture yourself living in this land where your freedom has been lost, think about the feeling welling up inside of you. Despite the corruption running rampantly around you, what is it you feel? Do you not feel welling up inside of you a feeling of powerlessness? Would you not feel that your voice had been silenced? Think for a moment, about the opportunity that has been lost.
What is the power of a vote? It is as powerful as throwing a single stone into the ocean. While on its own, one stone, when weighed against the strength of the ensuing ocean wave, seems small and weak and one might say that its destiny is only to be thrashed about by the ocean wave. This, however, ignores the power of this single stone to make its mark upon the ocean floor. More importantly, imagine still another stone and another piling upon one another until there are so many stones, the ocean wave must re-route itself around the group of stones.
This is the power of your vote. Your vote can make a difference. Your voice can be heard and if enough voices are heard, the landscape can be changed. Take now that with which you have been empowered, your voice, and let it be heard! Do not complain about the landscape â work to change it.
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