All registered voters in the U.S. can vote without being subjected to torture 
and death—a fact that is largely taken for granted. This freedom, although not perfect, compares well with what is happening in many other nations.
To name just a few of the countries where elections in 2010 were preceded by torture of anti-government protesters:
- In Rwanda, the ruling regime ordered arrest and torture of opposition candidates.
- In Zimbabwe, torture camps reappeared to insure that Mugabe retained power.
- In the Philippines, torture is a frequent tool of the Arroyo regime, conducted under the guise of support for the U.S. “war on terrorism.”
- In Iran, three anti-government protesters were tortured to death in prison.
Although in many countries people risk their lives to gain the right to vote in democratic elections, in the U.S., where that right is well-established, the majority of the population often fails to vote. For example, only about 37% of the voting age population vote in mid-term elections, which can determine the well-being of not just Americans but people around the world for years to come.
Accept your responsibility as a citizen of a democracy. Get out and vote, and get out the vote. Exercising your democratic right to vote is a way to demonstrate proactive moral agency (see Engaging Peace post on October 14).
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is….make peace not war a campaign issue.
The Friends Committee on National Legislation has some suggestions about how to do this:
- Contact candidates running for Congress and ask their views on issues such as nuclear disarmament, global warming, auditing the Pentagon, and ending the war in Afghanistan
- Write a letter to the editor of your newspaper or online news site, responding to its coverage of the election.
We have additional suggestions:
- Educate yourself. Have facts ready to support your arguments.
- Find out who the anti-war candidates are.
- Join together with others in the anti-war, pro-peace movement. Make your voices heard.
Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology