Encouraging You Not to Vote

This past week in Mallard Fillmore (a right-leaning comic strip), the title character encourages everyone reading the strip to "ignore your T.V." and, if they haven't acquainted themselves with the issues of this presidential campaign, "DON'T VOTE!"




Aren't they embarrassed?

Seriously, it's not that I want uneducated people choosing a president based on the sound of his (or her) name, or the cut of his hair, but discouraging people from voting is a horrible form of anti-Americanism. The comic could better use its space to present issues, perhaps, rather than discourage popular participation in the electoral process.

Or, with a week to go before the election, how about just encouraging people to read up on the issues and make an informed decision? I get the feeling that the suggestion to skip voting is followed with a "wink wink" to Bush supporters, who should know that, of course, they should not be deterred from the polls, regardless of their knowledge of the issues; it's all of those moderate and liberal Americans who will vote for Kerry that scare the creators of Mallard, and whom they hope to discourage.

It makes me sick - with only half of all Americans voting in presidential elections, it is shameful to discourage even more from voting; espouse your crazy right-wing views, criticize Kerry, use your soapbox for whatever information you wish, but don't do America the disservice of telling its citizens not to vote.