SEO Header Title

So please know that the following diatribe does not apply to you. Verily, it would stun me to learn that even one of you was among the 195,929 irresponsible louts who received a ballot, but declined to submit their vote.

I understand the “you say tomato, I say tomato”; the “you like Pavarotti, I like Dylan”; or even the “you support the Tea Party and I vote Green” type of differences in the way people live their lives.

Unfortunately, I simply do not get those of you who ignore the right and responsibility to participate in the selection of those who set the priorities, make the rules and decide how we spend the money in our city, state and nation.

Lest you might have misunderstood, the May 3 ballot was not about choosing a new flavor of Girl Scout cookie, the next winner of American Idol nor even something so wildly important as which tanning salon, beef burrito or Long Island iced tea you would nominate as “Best of Denver.” (Though some would argue that a better turnout would have occurred had such gritty choices been included.)

Nay, the recent call to vote called upon you to select a candidate for Mayor (our city’s chief executive), Auditor (the lead watcher of our dollars), Clerk & Recorder (official vote counter) and several representatives on City Council – the only check and balance for our strong mayoral form of local government.

Over the past five months, we interviewed more than two dozen candidates for Mayor and Council. If your reason for abstaining from the selection process is a belief that they’re all the same, I suggest you think again. The candidates were men, women, gay, straight, homeless, wealthy, middle class, young, middle-aged, black, white, brown, conservative, liberal and at least one is willing to admit he believes there are aliens among us.

I’m sure many of those who decided not to vote cheered wildly upon hearing the news that Osama Bin Laden had finally been “brought to justice.” And it wouldn’t surprise me if with glorious words they toasted the Navy Seals who executed the man and the mission with such awesome precision.

It would seem obvious that those brave warriors were not there because of simple revenge – the mission was too dangerous. They were there because it was deemed necessary to remove what was perceived as an unacceptable threat to the American way of life they are sworn to uphold.

And I think it is safe to say that the way of life the men and women of our military seek to uphold has much more to do with the protection of our constitutional freedoms that form the foundation for our republic, than with the luxuries that sometimes go along with being American.

The Seals did not put their lives on the line so you have the right to earn a good living and drive on nicely paved roads. Although those things are indeed nice perks of life in the U.S. of A.             They didn’t kill the men and women in that compound in Pakistan – or in any other conflict, war or armed engagement in our nation’s history – so you can play golf, take a vacation or eat well on Thanksgiving.

We send our young people into battle (theoretically) to protect the freedoms that our country was founded upon – the right to worship as we please, the right to choose those who would lead us, the right to life and liberty – not simply the pursuit of happiness. There are privileges, rights and responsibilities inherent with life in America. Our system of open elections embraces all three.

And, if you think we’ve been spending money the wrong way, standing on the wrong principles and getting involved in the wrong conflicts, then you need to vote in people who are going to shift us in the direction you think we need to go.

For those of you hoping to ease the conscience that really should be keeping you up at night, you have another chance to enter the fray. A runoff election for Mayor, Clerk & Recorder and several City Council districts will be held, with ballots going out later this month, to be returned by June 7.

Check out the article on page 39 for details on what’s up and how to get involved. Get back in the game. All of the decisions on the ballot demand your attention, but the mayoral race between Chris Romer and Michael Hancock is especially compelling.  

Too many people have fought too many battles to give you the many freedoms you enjoy. It’s time to pull on the grown-up costume and do your part. Vote by June 7.