OBSERVATION: Doing your part.

NOTE: I am writing this only with knowledge of the United States voting process. I have no knowledge of how other countries have their voting rules or their current political issues. Therefore, be sure that if you live outside of the US, that while you can still use the methods I highlight here, that you should look up what are major issues in your country, and how voter registration works in your country. I apologize in advance for the lack of knowledge, as I do not intend to discriminate in that way at all with this blog.

I have talked about Torrence Davis of the Bitbag.com on here a lot, and I know that I have had less than kind words to say about him (even though if there was something I thought he was right on, I wouldn't shy away from showing my agreement). However, during one of the many private message exchanges we had, there was something that he told me that kind of troubled me. He has nothing to worry about, because he is far from being the first gamer in America to have the same mindset. To set up how this came about, let me share with you the message I sent that led to the troubling reply:

You want to know the funniest thing about the Billo/KO feud: They give each other publicity (for some reason, though, even though everyone KNOWS why he blasts NBC News, Billo refuses to even mention Keith's attacks on him) because they attack the other. So you're MY biggest fan in that sense because you are blasting back. At least on that front, you're not afraid to blast back.

There was more, obviously, than that (it was about that whole GTA4 blogger breakfast issue that has been well documented as to my feelings about it). However, that part led to this end of his reply:

BTW, I'm not into politics. I don't know this Oreilly character you speak of.

Look at the first sentence: "I'm not into politics." While many might find politics boring, it is rather an important thing that everyone. To fanboys, gamers, and Americans alike.

Obviously, if you're one of N4G's users who are not yet of age to vote, then this....still applies to you, because you can be smart enough of a teen to influence your parents to vote for the person who will give you more opportunity and less of those that will do what you dislike.

Of course, we are in the midst of a presidential election year, and thus, we got Barack Obama (D) and John McCain (R) jockeying for the November 4th vote. This decision will obviously be important for gamers because of the censorship issue. We have seen about Obama's stance about wanting parents to be more involved in their kids lives (AMEN to that, by the way). By this point, we can safely assume that he doesn't think censoring M rated games is the answer to anything. We've seen Joe Lieberman be a fighter for game censorship, and in case you're wondering, he's an Independent Senator who might be John McCain's running mate (by the time you read this, he probably will already have chosen his running mate (Obama has picked outspoken Senator Joe Bden as his VP pick).

However, if you do not like people who censor your rights to play video games away, and you have a choice, then VOTE! My God, you know how many people complain and whine and moan that the politicians that are supposed to be there on so many issues like the economy, homeland security, the enviroment, and whatever else you can throw in there, and then when you ask "did you vote" and their answer to you is a "well...NO!"

If you didn't vote, do not bitch. Plain and simple. If you are not doing your civil duty as American citizens, then don't sit there and complain when they do something that you do not like. If you do not like them, then help them to get the hell out of where they do not belong.

However, let's say you're not of that voting age yet (if you turn 18, let's say, NOW, you still have time to register). What do you do, then? You know if you tell your parents "don't vote for this guy, he's against [obscene] video games", they will just say "that will be a reason for me TO vote for that guy" (or at least THINK that and not tell you you're words have the opposite effect). So, what do you do? This will be the same as the people that CAN vote: Get yourself informed and get them informed and tell THEM about some other views the guy has that they might NOT like to let them know that the anti-video game vote won't be worth it.

For instance, that anti-video game candidate could also be in favor of the hugely unpopular war in Iraq (the main thing that has brought down the Bush Administration after Katrina). He would be with them on that issue to keep the troops in there, and your parents might be worried that if that war continues, then fears of a draft because of a troop drought (there IS, after all, 4,000 plus troops dead because of that damn thing). And who might be drafted if the unthinkable becomes reality? Them, or worse of all, YOU! You think they would elect a guy who wants to send our troops to a place they don't need to be for a war whose reason keeps changing to something that the Bush Administration thinks the public will like?

How about the high gas prices? 4 bucks a gallon for gas? You know how many people are not happy with that, especially when oil companies are getting record profits for their biggest and richest owners? Now, how happy will your folks be about that anti-game candidate if they also know he will do NOTHING about it, or even make it WORSE? Doesn't sound so hot, does it?

What about the foreclosure situation? If you don't know what that is, it is, according to whoever added it to its Wikipedia page, "the legal proceeding in which a mortgagee, or other lienholder, usually a lender, obtains a court ordered termination of a mortgagor's equitable right of redemption." Basically, a BAD thing, and it is happening alot in this country. If your parents are worried about that, or if you heard that word come out of their mouths in a subtle tone, you might want to look into it and that anti-game candidate.

Now, you may think "well, easy things to sacrifice to get someone who'll censor games to Capitol Hill!" WRONG!! Those are HUGE issues right now, and just one of those may break a candidate in half if they are on the wrong side of the issues. And then, keep into consideration that they could hold much more unpopular opinions on issues, which would be a double whammy there. Basically, you will be able to influence their decisions, and at the same time wow your folks about how smart and well informed you are for your age. Go onto the websites, turn on CNN or MSNBC, and read the newspapers your folks probably get in the morning. Remember that thought that the younger people are getting smarter these days? What better way to give that thought some truth?

If you are OF age, however, these issues come two fold, and you need to be ready to start thinking about these things. So what do YOU do? For one, REGISTER if you haven't already (I, of course, am). Rock The Vote has been VERY popular, and it's as easy as it can be. Online registering is almost too easy, and all you have to do is to follow the instructions (don't worry, they don't give any info out to people who have no business seeing it). Even if you're on a college campus, you can still register (don't worry, the process holds your hand through that entire thing). You need to register 30 days before a given election to be allowed to vote in that election. I believe it would be October 3rd as the deadline to be able to vote in this year's general election, in this case, unless you're fortunate enough to live in one of the nine states (Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Wisconsin,  and Wyoming) that allows "election day registration" (North Dakota has NO requirement to how far away from the election day you have to register). Basically, you have no excuse not to do this. Although you will be asked for party affiliation, this will have NO tie in to who you must vote for in the generals (only in the primaries does party affiliation comes into play). No one is allowed to deny you any right to vote because of anything that is defined in the US Constitution.

You will be told of the precinct you are in, and you will be informed of where you're precinct's polling place is (usually a school, or, in my case, a firehouse). This is where you go to vote on Election Day. There are many ways in order to find out which offices and levies are to be decided in your area (along with the federal level, there's local and state levels of government), and educate yourself with what their views are and what concerns you along with that anti-game stuff (maybe minimum wage or health-care is an issue for you and you want a candidate that shares your view of what should be done). Also, if neither candidate fits your interests, you can write in a candidate or, if it comes to that, don't vote for anyone in that particular race (the latter decision is also if you hold no interests in the decisions of a race). The top of the ballot is for the major races (in this year, it would be who you think should be president of the US), and then descending in how high up an office would be.

This all seems and sounds daunting to what happens, but once you know of what the process is and the more knowledge you have, the less intimidating the process will be to you. Also, if you think you will be considered a dork, a nerd, or a geek because you're interested in this process, you won't be. In this particular election cycle, there has been more young voter registration and turnout (as in, how many people actually go to vote) than ever before. They are seeing that increase with each election cycle as younger voters become seriously interested about what happens in the elections. This is also because many of the newer issues that faces the US affects younger people, as well (foreign affairs and homeland security is a HUGE issue for younger voters right now, though not the only one). Some are excited to finally be able to have their voice heard and counted (I know I was when I finally was able to vote). Be sure that the excitement, however, does not cloud your judgment (it did for me: I voted for Bush in 2000. Lesson learned...BIG TIME). And yes, one vote DOES make a difference, especially with the recent close elections (look up what happened in Florida in 2000 for proof on that), and make sure your vote WILL be counted (ask if there is a paper trail of what you voted for if you're in a precinct that has a touch screen ballot system in place. There have been controversies involving those things in the past).

All in all, once you think about what is at stake, you will understand the importance of, even if you don't follow politics as closely as I do (or even if you only understand HALF of what I just said about that voting process. There will be many people willing to help you out in the voting process when the time comes if you need more guidance, so don't be afraid to ask the questions). Your vote is highly important, and, especially when many people have strong opinions about the Bush Administration and those that were supportive of it, a lot of people will be very interested as to who will succeed him (just so you know my opinion, I'm definitely siding for Barack Obama, I'm not shy about sharing my views with anyone). Be informed, be true to your beliefs, and do the one thing that you need to do to help your country be not only going in the direction you believe it should go, but have all offices be checked and balanced:

VOTE!!

Good night, and good luck!