I Vote.
I vote because of the past and for the future. I vote because women were not
always able to do so. I vote to ensure that women will always be able to do so. I vote
because it is a reflection of my voice, proof of my existence and a powerful way to
proclaim to myself and my community that how I feel, think, and act is meaningful and
makes a difference. I vote to end silence. I vote because laws affect my life. I vote
because laws affect my body. I vote because I have opinions and want them to be heard. I
vote for what I believe in. I vote because the lives and rights of all people matter. I vote
because the air I breathe and the health of our nation and the world matters. I vote
because education, poverty, and abuse are relevant and important. I vote because
discrimination and prejudice are not yet eradicated. I vote because I care about how I live
and why I live that way. I vote to contribute to a positive future. I vote because there are
solutions. I vote because laws are real, change is real, life is real. I vote because of
women like Rosa Parks and Hillary Rodham Clinton. I vote because of women unlike
Rosa Parks and Hillary Rodham Clinton. I vote to maintain the rights I do have and to
gain the ones that I do not. I vote because I can. I vote because
I count.
©2003 Sarah Birl