What do I tell my students about voting?

“You put [Democrats] first, and they put you last. ‘Cause you’re a chump. A political chump! … Any time you throw your weight behind a political party that controls two-thirds of the government, and that party can’t keep the promise that it made to you during election time, and you are dumb enough to walk around continuing to identify yourself with that party — you’re not only a chump but you’re a traitor to your race.” – Malcolm X re: Blacks giving 80% of the vote to Democrats

“Voting is easy and marginally useful, but it is a poor substitute for democracy, which requires direct action by concerned citizens.” – Howard Zinn

“I believe that voting is the first act of building a community as well as building a country.” – John Ensign

“As a citizen, you need to know how to be a part of it, how to express yourself – and not just by voting.” – Sandra Day O’Connor

“The work of the political activist involves a certain tension between the requirement that position be taken on current issues as they arise and the desire that one’s contributions will somehow survive the ravages of time.” – Angela Davis

I don’t want to diss those who voted in earnest, but, as someone who left the Democratic party a while ago, I’m seeing that voting is nice, but it’s but a smaller part of how a democracy ought to function. Yet, our kids are learning the catchphrases spouted on TV. In the last week, I’ve heard things like, “Obama lost!” “Reduce taxes!” “Rich people ought to pay as much as poor people for this country.” Children aren’t as informed as adults, maybe, but it doesn’t make them any less attuned to the disparate conditions we’ve had across the country. Regardless of who’s in charge, kids at the bottom don’t feel like they see much difference in living conditions.

In an era of talking points, there seems to be something more that we should speak to.

As an adult, I’m presumably more informed about politics and vote strategically, voting locally and nationally for candidates that somewhat mirror my own priorities. Yet, I too don’t know how to explain the legacies of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo or even President Barack Obama without going into the murky waters of ultra-compromise when Republicans on the “other side” are so willing to stand their ground on the backs of the poor and colored. So when I choose a candidate that might represent my interests, he or she don’t have a chance because the big two are just that powerful.

Maybe the best approach, then, is just to let kids know that elections don’t just happen every two years or four years. People might have died for the right to cast their votes when it’s time, which is why we shouldn’t waste it on candidates that don’t believe in the people who voted them in.

Jose