On voting and bitching
It’s been said if you don’t vote, then you can’t complain about government. Bullhonkey I say!
1. As a journalist, I have a very good reason not to vote. For one, it goes against my ethics. Some reporters I know do not agree. They argue there is nothing wrong with voting and encourage as many of the peers to join.
Consider this: if you are a journalist and your job is to serve the public by reporting fairly and accurately on political candidates, how is this not a conflict of interest? I can give one area of leeway. If your vote is based on a fair assessment of the political candidates decided on Tuesday morning, then you OK.
I doubt people are this fair when they decide on a political candidate because most people make up their decision long before the candidate runs. For example, candidate X is a democrat and because I am a democrat, I vote for candidate X.
It’s best for journalists to decide before campaign season starts he or she will not vote. It will make for better reporting because one’s favortism should not interfere. Also, journalists should never be a member of a political party, unless you want people to know your reporting leans one way. The majority of people reading newspapers don’t want to read partisan reporting.
Although it’s safe to assume reporters and journalists can be biased even if they do not vote, voting is the first step to compromising your ethics.
2. As a journalist, it is my job to complain about government through my reporting. In between elections, journalists are the people keeping our government in check. While many are busy celebrating after an election (granted his or her party won), journalists are at work all year reporting on issues of intertest to the community.
Some have said the only way to change our government is to vote. Once again, bullhonkey. Do people honestly believe voting is the only way to change politics? The last time I checked, reporters have changed politics and public opinion more often than elections.
Most importantly, journalists have the power to change the outcome of elections. Even though the public may see it “un-American” to refuse to vote, journalists can proudly say they have more of an impact on politics and elections than one person’s vote.