GO AND VOTE NOW! (or later's cool if you're busy now)...

Just a quick mini-blog because I CAN’T BELIEVE THE NONSENSE MY EARS WERE JUST SUBJECTED TO (and writing this is a nice little procrastinate break from revision for my exam tomorrow.)

So I just walked the 2 minute walk to my nearest polling station, and cast my vote for the European and local elections. Now as aforementioned, I do have an exam tomorrow (A FINAL may I add which the rest of my life, career and future happiness could depend on) and I still took the time out of my day to go and put a couple of crosses in a couple of boxes and have my say in the running of society.

Now I appreciate some people may be hugely busy, have full time jobs, kids etc. but COME ON. Surely everyone wants to stand up and be counted as a member of society – anyone not voting today totally baffles me.

Which brings me onto my inspiration for this heated yet still reasoned (it’s NOT a rant) blog entry.  On my way back from voting I came across two neighbours of mine out walking their dogs. We got to talking and after predictable pleasantries the subject of the polling station (a mere 20 seconds walk away) came up. The two women told me they wouldn’t be voting today and proceeded with a rather novel three-fold argument as to why not:

 ‘We’re not into this politics lark’, ‘Politicians are all crooks anyway’ and ‘It doesn’t really affect us’.

If it hadn’t been for the two massive Labradors and their calming puppy dog eyes I think I may have been absent from my exam tomorrow and in custody instead for ‘Acts of violence against morons’. (Yes I’m aware that’s not actually an offence in law, but it really should be.)

 Now it’s completely and utterly against anything I believe to separate men and women in matters such as these; notions of equality should obviously apply across the board -voting included.  Saying that, although the men not bothering to vote have no excuse, the women not doing so are actively regressing the cause of feminism. Women worked their asses off so we could enjoy this fundamental right; bras were burnt, there were hunger strikes, I MEAN IMAGINE BEING BOTH HUNGRY AND BRALESS?! No but seriously, not bothering to exercise this right after all the work women of the past put in on your behalf is a huge slap in their faces. Miss Pankhurst jumped in front of a horse for crying out loud, the least you can do is take a sunny stroll to the polling station and put your well-earned right into practice in her memory.

Even if you’re less than proficient in politics or don’t wish to support any of the candidates/parties, you can still actively abstain by marking your paper incorrectly; at least then you’ll have turned up to voice your opinion and avoided ‘societal outcast’ status by doing so.

 So to sum up – please can you all go and vote. Now. Except if you’re planning on voting UKIP… you stay at home.

Leila xoxo