What to Do? The Indecisive Free Write and the 2013 Election Cycle
I throw out a simple question: what should I write about? Mother answers that I should spin a tale of indecisiveness, aka the story of my life, aka why I'm sitting around asking what I should write about instead of writing. She even starts throwing quotes my way to weave into the story. Little does she remember that as a young glamorous Speech and Debate team member (colloquially referred to as a speechie), I spent a year of Saturdays (much longer than a month of Sundays) reciting a ten minute speech on the terrors of indecisiveness. In this speech, I dramatically or monotonously- depending on my mood- recited the beginning of "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, and even snuck in a little Shakespeare with "To Be or Not to Be." I don't remember much else about the speech except that my poor protagonist couldn't decide whether to order ribs or spaghetti on a date. She chose the spaghetti and meatballs and then lamented the twirl and splatter.*
I am not pushing this issue just because NOW is supporting the issue. I also believe that non-pissed off women have a voice and have power. America is a country of equality, where for too long several groups have been disenfranchised (non-white males, felons, etc) , or face new methods of disenfranchisement due to ridiculous laws and overturning of good laws (oh Voting Rights Act, we miss you so!).
My mother's real reason for throwing indecisiveness at me as some form of free-writing exercise is because she herself cannot decide which dress she's going to buy on the website she's perusing next to me. But because I cannot help but look for connections between every iota of the universe, I have decided that there is some larger discussion that can be tied into this theme of indecision. Or, at the very least, there has to be a television reference.
This space stays relatively politics free, even though my actual life does not. As my post of the 2012 election details, I decided that apathy would not get the results I wanted, no matter how cool and disengaged it was as a facebook choice for political views back in 2008 (bet you didn't remember that). As the Indecision 2013-2014 cycle ramps up, I remember a HuffPostLive request I got recently that mentioned that single women were unlikely to participate in this round of elections. Unfortunately, I could not speak then. Fortunately, that would not be my only chance to go,
"Huh, why not? Vote! Ida B. Wells and Susan B. Anthony demand this of you."
I am not pushing this issue just because NOW is supporting the issue. I also believe that non-pissed off women have a voice and have power. America is a country of equality, where for too long several groups have been disenfranchised (non-white males, felons, etc) , or face new methods of disenfranchisement due to ridiculous laws and overturning of good laws (oh Voting Rights Act, we miss you so!).
It must be understood that there needs not be a hot button issue directly related to you to vote. Women should not vote because of a discussion on reproductive rights. Women should vote because the issues as a whole have an impact on their lives.
As I remain indecisive about what I shall wear in the morning, what hairstyle I will have when I finally take these headshots, and what phone will replace my sad dilapidated blackberry that has no back cover, I am firmly decided that I will exercise the most basic of my rights as a United States citizen, especially in the 2014 election cycle. I implore those of you with a voice in the primaries to make a stand for the candidates now as well. Even more, get involved in the campaigns and help impact the decision making of those around you.
As for my mother, she bought both dresses. Must be nice.
*Maybe that's why I was never convicted in telling the speech. Who chooses anything over ribs? Ribs!
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