IMHO

“You wouldn’t let your grandparents choose who you date - then why let them choose your government.”

I’ve received this post yet again tonight on my Facebook feed and it has pushed me to the brink. Social media grandstanding by overly zealous political party supporters – it doesn’t matter which party – is getting on my nerves. Do they think that by posting every day, sometimes several times a day, about who deserves my vote, who does not, why someone does or does not deserve my vote and, as in the above quote, leading me to believe there is a snowballing trend toward the involvement of young people in the political process is going to influence how I vote? Think again.

I abhor age discrimination almost as much as I resent over zealous political supporters clogging the airwaves (or whatever you call the equivalent in cyberspace.) This may seem to be a change of topic but take a look at the quote above. Choosing a date is a personal thing – grandparents don’t expect to be involved in “choosing dates” nor would they want to. The thought is actually a little creepy.

Dates are personal, however choosing our government is not. This trend toward favouring the young by discrediting the old is blatant age discrimination. What wisdom is there in suggesting that the vote from the under 30 crowd is somehow more important than a vote by their grandparents? What makes this generation think that what they have to say is more informed, intelligent, and credible that what the over 60 crowd has to say. Does experience, understanding, and a sense of history have no significance?

One of the greatest problems among members of society is the trend toward creating divisions rather than pulling together. Certainly anyone over the age of 18 has the right to vote. It’s up to the individual whether or not they act on that right. And one vote is one vote – none more important than the rest. So why not encourage everyone to become involved, to get out and vote, rather than divide the voters by age. Welcome young voters, welcome middle aged voters, welcome senior voters. And let the most informed, the most involved, the most committed, come out on top regardless of age.

And puleeeze, if you want to tell me how to vote, infringe on my privacy by calling me in person. You'll get an ear-full.