Tuesday was an election day here in KC.
It wasn’t a big election. It wasn’t a huge turnout. With a city proper of about 500,000 people (based on the “Welcome to Kansas City” sign), there were about 41,000 votes cast for the ballot initiative. My ballot had one question about keeping a tax active, and one choice for a school board position.
I went out to vote, my wife went and voted on her lunch break from working the election. She’s worked most elections since 2021.
Every time elections come up, and I think about America, it’s democracy, and all of the rights and liberties we’re given as citizens, it always makes me think about our responsibilities to the country, and our fellow countrymen. I think it’s important to talk about, because we so often don’t talk about them, acknowledge them, or even want them.
The wife and I are DINKS (double income, no kids.) We’re also home owners (which, I know as millennials is a lucky thing.) I have several friends, and even older family members without kids, or who’s kids are out of the education system, and they complain that their taxes fund education. I, myself was guilty of this kind of thinking at an earlier age in my life.
Now I realize it’s part of my civic responsibility to make sure we have an educated society. As much as I may not like children, I understand they’re the future of this country. Our doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, and politicians. It’s our duty to make sure they receive the best education that they can, their future and my own depend on it.
Another responsibility that comes with living in America is jury duty. The wife just had her summons a few weeks ago, and I finally got my first one for May. Most people I know bemoan jury duty, and always say something like “tell them you’re racist,” or tell them “I hate cops.” I get the frustration. It’s a whole day, possibly more, where I’m stuck in a room with strangers, making almost no money, and time off from work, where I’m choosing to not take PTO. But, at the end of the day, I know that if I ever have to face a jury of my peers, I want them to look at it the same way that I do, that’s it’s a privilege to serve the community, and it’s residents, and uphold justice. You know, one of the things our country was founded on.
I can continue on this topic for a while, but I’m just going to leave it where it’s at. You get the picture. Do more. Take pride. Plant food in public parks. Do Crime. I’ll see you on the jury.