Posted on October 22nd, 2010
Seeing extra pink lately? That’s because October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is meant to educate others about the disease and encourage support for the fight against it. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States last year.
While breast cancer is an issue that has truly pushed women to band together, there are other concerns that require our full attention. With November right around the corner, why not join together for another women’s issue; exercising your hard-earned right to vote. Only 90 years ago in 1920 women were not allowed to vote, and today there are so many who already take that hard-earned right for granted. Various reports from the 2008 election list voter turn-out at roughly 61 percent, which was said to be at much higher levels than usual. As a country, are we satisfied with these numbers?
“With all of the changes happening right now in health care for seniors, women need to make their voices heard loud and clear now more than ever,” said Deborah Dolan, Advocate on Aging. “Decisions made today will affect us in more ways than we know now. They will affect generations to follow, so make your choice known and your vote count.”
Numerous lives have been sacrificed to protect our freedom so that we can have the privileges we do today, so why are so many people wasting them? If you’re thinking that your one vote doesn’t make a difference, think about what would happen if everyone felt that way and no one voted. Or talk to candidates who have won elections by only a handful of votes. Stop and think about your grandmothers, great grandmothers and ancestors before them who didn’t even have the option to have their voices be heard. On November 2nd, do not take your right to vote for granted.
If your female ancestors were alive today, what do you think they would say to you about exercising your right to vote?
