| Show Ij ok i j t By Russell Gerrard Opinion Editor Two weeks ago we ran an article in these pages about true patriotism With the initial initial initial ini ini- hype of Septembers September's terrorist terrorist terrorist ter ter- ter- ter attacks dying off we should now see which Americans really do care about their nation Next Tuesday is the final election in the campaigns campaigns campaigns cam cam- for mayor or and/or city council members in many of Utah's cities The turnout at atthe atthe atthe the polls will determine who is concerned enough about the running of our government to el elect ct the leadership of our communities Voter turnout has consistently decreased over the last several years The persons persons persons per per- sons who regularly vote in both local and national elections elections elections elec elec- are the only voices being heard The citizens who didn't vote in the last mayoral election of Salt Lake City have nobody to blame for Rocky's orange flags and negligence of everything outside outside outside out out- side of th the Downtown district except for themselves If more eligible voters had registered and voted we may have had a different mayor There will always be people who are dissatisfied with the performance or policies policies policies poli poli- cies of our representatives Yet the only persons who deserve to critique these elected elected elected elect elect- ed officials are those who made the effort to stop for fifteen fifteen fifteen teen minutes at the local public public public pub pub- lic school to cast their vote They are the same people who at least know what the issues are arc They are generally the older generations Our communities communities communities com com- and our nation are being cheated by Generation X The youngest generation generation generation genera genera- tion of voters is the least active generation of voters They believe they are too busy to find out about relevant relevant relevant rele rele- vant issues let alone go vote This is a generation which has never lived through a war that affected their families and friends They seem to be beyond empathy They have been overexposed to the medias media's opinion of politics They have never developed faith in their leaders and have no faith to lose If the past months have not opened their minds it is not likely the coverage of ground troops over the next months will either With our comfort zones being threatened as i. i r never before it is time we elect and support leaders who will courageously stand up against as much We Ve need A leaders who will sincerely act in behalf of our out best interests as citizens of the greatest nation on earth We must show the pride we have in our communities communities communities and in our nation by voting for leaders and representatives representatives representatives who will maintain and improve our way of life The shelter many of us have always taken for granted will soon expire We will be on the a world stage over the next six months as hosts of the Winter Olympic Games We dont dont don't i iT j T have to wait until February f 2002 to prove to the world 1 t. t that we have not burrowed 1 into our holes We can vote on 6 November for the local officials officials officials i who will represent our communities in front of the the- entire world Dont Don't let the opportunity opportunity opportunity to contribute slip by The test of our patriotism is in the little things we do pot in the large sacrifices we are asked t to to make One of the little things is whether or not we V vo vote L A 1 4 r t f. f 7 l I 1 r 1 Y 1 |
