I see the Giant. Sometimes it is the Big Good Giant. Sometimes it’s the Big Bad Giant. But it’s always the Giant. Do you see the Giant that’s impacting our lives in every way and at all times?
We all feel the impact of the Giant. The Giant is always there. But so many do not see the Giant. The Giant protects some of us. It provides for some of us. It pushes some of us along. It lifts some of us. It carries some of us.
I see the Giant. We all feel the impact of the Giant, but we don’t really understand how the Big Giant impacts us. The Giant attacks some of us. It takes from some of us. It holds some of us back. It slows some of us down. It tramples on some of us. It imprisons some of us. It kills some of us.
I see the Giant. We all helped create the Giant. We created and sustained the Giant through elections. We feed the Giant when we vote. We fuel the Giant when we don’t vote. It’s one kind of Giant when we vote. It’s another kind of Giant when we don’t vote.
I see the Giant. The Giant is powerful and far-reaching. The Giant helps determine whether we are conceived (birth control). The Giant helps determine whether we are born (maternity care/abortion). The Giant helps determine where we are born (hospital, home or midwives). The Giant helps determine so many issues in life: whether we are educated; whether we have a safe workplace; whether we are protected or abused by law enforcement. Do you see the Giant?
I see the Giant. The Giant helps determine even more issues of life: whether we eat safe food, drink safe water and breathe safe air; whether we own a business; whether we earn a livable income; whether we live in decent housing; whether we can marry; whether we have medical care; and so forth. Even after death, the Giant keeps impacting us through the licensed funeral home we use, the places we are buried, and the final distribution of our material possessions. The Big Giant is on the move and into everything.
I see the Giant. Sometimes it is the Good Giant. Other times it’s the Bad Giant. We determine what kind of Giant it is through elections. The Big Giant is very powerful, but we have ultimate power over the Big Giant. When we don’t collectively use our power, we lose our power. Then the Big Giant directs us rather than our directing it.
I see the Giant. Sometimes it is transformed into the Good Giant, all complete and unified with every space filled. It is a joy to see the Good Giant moving and working and helping and lifting.
I see the Giant. Sometimes it is transformed into the Bad Giant. It is distorted with large holes in it created by those who do not vote. It is not a joy to see. It attacks. It goes on rampages. It demands. It takes. It destroys. It kills. Do you see the Giant?
I see the Giant. I see how it is created, nourished, and sustained. Elections create the Giant. Elections nourish the Giant. Elections sustain the Giant. But elections are only a process. The Giant is not nourished or sustained by the process.
I see the Giant. The Giant is nourished by our votes. When we vote, we create a unified, healthy Giant, and it looks good and feels good. It is a helping being.
I see the Giant. When large numbers of us don’t vote, the Giant becomes even more distorted. It has more holes that create more distortion. Don’t you see the holes in the Giant? The Giant becomes distorted and mean. The greater distortion makes the Giant meaner and more destructive. The Giant attacks every aspect of the lives of those who did not vote.
I see the Giant. I see us making the Giant. Our votes do not strengthen or weaken the Giant. Our votes direct the Giant. I see the Good Giant protecting and serving. I see the Bad Giant attacking and destroying. I see us thinking that the Bad Giant ought not to do what it is doing. I see is not understanding why the Bad Giant attacks and destroys. I see us not understanding why it lies. I see us hiding behind saying that our votes don’t count. Do you see the Giant?
I see the Giant. How do we teach the young to vote so the Giant is well nourished? How do we teach our poor to vote so the Giant serves us rather than attacking us? I see the disillusioned saying voting does not do any good. How do we turn the stumbling blocks of voter suppression into stepping-stones and vote anyway? Do you see the Giant?
EPILOGUE – Some things seem so simple. Voting is such a thing. However, voting is deeply complicated because of a lack of knowledge, obstacles embedded in the process, and perceptions of the value of voting.
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