From the Editor: On the eve of our elections

By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor/ The Herald  — I’m trying to keep a cool head; as much as one can in these final days before our nation’s elections. It’s hard though. There’s polls and charts and what if’s fly in your face multiple times every day. Pundits and commentators are literally screaming at us with facts and data. Doomsayers and hopefuls. Me, I’m just ready for it to be over. I’ve cast my vote. I’ve discussed, and argued a bit, the options with some of my friends and even a few casual acquaintances.

There is, I believe, always something positive that comes out of every tumultuous event. Isn’t there? We always learn something. Like, “The moral of this story is…”. I think I know what the moral of this recent story is. That’s for later, though.

We’ve all, at one time in our lives or another, heard how “fragile democracy is”. Yeah, yeah. Heard that, been there. Just more of the same ol’, same ol’. Yet, we all also seem to have our grievances. We mumble about our government’s inefficiencies, how we have no rights, or that all the wrong things are happening to us – keeping us down. We like to play the blame game. If you haven’t said it, you’ve heard it.

America IS great. And it’s only going to get greater. Why? Because we live in a democracy. Our form of government is so precious I can’t even begin to articulate how amazing it is. Every citizen gets to cast their vote to determine how our country moves forward. Because of us, it always has. It’s the vote. Get it?

Voter turnout, I understand from the news, is at an all-time high. This is good, right? People are becoming aware of the fact that we all need to have a say in our future, whatever you think that future might look like. By the way, as of recent, I just scan the headlines and try not to get sucked into all the fracas beyond the screaming header. I had though, become a well-informed citizen through much research and study. But now It’s time for me to sit back and await the outcome.

I’m not one for fads. Never have been. I never had a pet rock. I didn’t really wear my hair THAT long in the 70’s. I wanted Converse All Stars when they were all the rage but couldn’t afford them. Eventually, it started to click in my head what a fad was – a passing craze that the advertisers pushed on you to buy something that would soon become blase. I’ve tried to stick by my guns on fads. This one is different, though.

Today’s craze is to vote. I see this as a movement of the people. Let’s keep this craze alive. Too late to register, but if you have, vote. Let’s toss out the negative trend of complacency that has afflicted our country for so long. As Nike says: “Just do it”. Vote.