Vote....Or Else!

On Friday, the Ontario premier was elected - the province is now governed by the Liberal Party.

On Thursday, I headed to the polls and made a choice I wanted to make, and was free to make.

But, I've got to say, it felt like I was bullied into voting.

Yes, you read that right. Bullied.

The thing is, Canada is a country in which we've earned our right to vote, to elect a person or party we would like to see come into power and lead our country, provinces and cities to what the person voting would like to see come of it.

The ads for voting don't promote a candidate, they point and wag a nasty finger at 'the other guy' which I've never liked. They don't work for me, personally. 

Same thing goes for if someone wins. Please. Keep your opinions to yourself, and don't go overboard. 

If a party you strongly disagree with or strongly dislike wins, I doubt it will be "Hell." Things may not be pleasant, or the way you want them to turn out, but I doubt it will be "hell". It's one thing if you lost your job due to a party's or leader's actions, and quite another to compare it to the worst thing in the history of ever. Sure, times may be tight and you may have had a rough year. Just be glad you're not in a warzone in a third world country. 

The other thing is, is people's attitudes towards voting when expressing themselves through social media.

"Go out and vote. It's your right." 

Well, thanks that's a very nice and polite way of posting a status update. Yes, we've earned the right to vote for who want to vote for....IF you want to vote. [I did vote, by the way.]

Instead, people should be saying: "You should go out and vote. Especially if there's a candidate or party you'd like to win, or you dislike the current leader."

What I'm saying is - voting is not mandatory, and people should be not 'ordered' or pressured in any way to go out and do it. We have the freedom and ability to go out and do it. Nasty remarks aren't helping any, especially with lower turnout these days.  

So when the Federal Elections happen next year, please be nice about yourself or hold your tongue. You can write articles about why one platform is better than the other. Back up your opinion with reasons, examples and facts instead of delivering a one to two sentence ignorant opinion.  Hell, if you're good enough, you may even turn people away from a leader or party just be good argument or debate alone (whether it's 'attacking the other guy, or promoting the one you're going for)

The world is in rough shape as it is. Let's not make it worse. Make it better by voting for who you will think will try and make it better, or take the power away from those who are making it wrong.

Negativity never helps.