I know I’m getting
kinda preachy today but I want to know, “Are You Gonna Vote or not?”
Now I don’t want
to try and influence you on who you vote for, but I want to tell you a few
things because I’m sick and tired of all the gripping about these upcoming
elections. No, I’m not happy about it
either but the truth of the matter is that we have a responsibility to vote
whether you like it or not.
I want to ask you
some very pointed questions this morning … some that I should have been asking
you as much as a month or more ago.
Are you registered to vote?
Have you voted yet?
Are you going to
vote on November 8?
Many of you have answered
at least one of those questions with “yes” and I am grateful for your
dedication to exercise your God given right to vote.
But in all
honesty some of you have decided that it is just not worth the effort … and I
am not going to embarrass you by asking you to admit that anyone.
If you are one of
those who has decided that you’re just not going to waste your time to go vote,
then I say to you this morning -- Shame On You!
You cannot say to
me this morning that you did not have a way to go get registered … because I’ve
got a real nice car that is really easy to get in and out of. I know because my wife drives me around in it
all the time. That passenger seat is so
easy to just slide in and out of … just the right height to simply turn and
step out of. There’s even a hand hold to
grab on to help you. It’s really easy
getting in and out of. All you have to
do is call me and say, “Bro. Mike, I need a ride to go register to vote. Will you take me?” And guess what? I’d have been there with bells on. If you didn’t have a ride to go register to vote,
then I say “Shame On You!”
You cannot say to
me this morning that you or one of the kids was too sick to get out of bed or
to get out of the house. For the life of
me I will never understand why it takes the whole family to stay home to wipe
little Johnny’s nose when he gets a cold.
You’re not too sick to do the things you want to do. I know because there were days when you were
supposed to be sick that you went to the grocery store. Or you went to work. Or you went to sister’s house. Or you went to brother’s house. Or you went to momma’s house. There were days when you were supposed to be
sick when you went to the movies, or to the lake, or to the ball game, or to
the mall to go shopping. I have seen you
in those places and the first thing out of your mouth is, “Oh preacher, I would
have been there but I was just so sick I couldn’t go.” Well I Say Bologna .
You’ll do and go where you want to go.
Sick or not.”
And by the way … if
you just pick up the phone and call the local election commission office and
say to them, “Would you please send me a voter registration form in the
mail?” They will say we sure will … give
me your name and address and we’ll get that right out to you. They want you to call them. They want you to vote. You keep them in business. They have a job because people like you need
their services. They would be glad to
send you one in the mail. All you have
to do is fill it out … mail it back … and in a few days you’ll get a card the
mail that says you’re registered and it even tells you where to go vote. Isn’t that slick?
What I’m trying
to say to you is that if you are of legal age, you don’t have one legitimate
reason in the world not to register to vote.
You don’t have one legitimate reason for not getting to the polls to
vote. You don’t have one legitimate
excuse not to vote. The constitution of
the United States
and the Bill of Rights gives you the authority to control some one else’s
destiny with a little thing called a vote.
What an awesome responsibility that is.
And don’t say to
me that you don’t like any of the candidates that are running for office so you’re
just not going to vote this time around.
When you do that; you cause all kinds of problems. You keep a good man or woman from being
elected … you keep a bad man or woman from being thrown out of office … you
throw away your voice to control taxes, to control laws that speak about
abortion, to control laws that speak about the sanctity of marriage, to control
laws that speak about your health care.
You throw away your right to complain because if you don’t vote then you
have no voice at all.
If you don’t like
any of the candidates, then vote for yourself.
There’s a line on that ballot that is blank and it says “Write in your
choice for office here.” My friends, if you
don’t vote, then you are part of the problem.
So let’s go vote and get it over with.
Posts
