Today I Vote

by Mari Sloan

Today I get to flex my muscle. Today I exercise my power.

Today we travel out into COVID-infested Los Angeles County to cast our votes at an early voting location in Burbank. IF we are lucky and there is no line, we will walk right in and use the machines. IF there is a line, we will leave our ballots at an indoor, monitored location. Proudly, as as I step inside, I will think:

• This is a step against separating children from their parents.
• This is a step against locking children in cages.
• This is a step against dropping out of the Paris Climate Accord.
• This is a step against manipulating the stock market with wild tweets for the personal gain of self and cronies.
• This is a step for hanging on to the Post Office.
• This is a step for protecting Social Security.
• This is a step for protecting the disabled.
• This is a step for protecting the acceptance of pre-existing conditions by insurance companies.
• This is a step toward health care for everyone.
• This is a step for protecting the environment and the National Parks.
• This is a step toward re-establishing our dignity as a Nation.
• This is a step toward re-establishing the EPA and the clean Air Act.
• This is a step for maintaining sane relationships with the rest of the world.
• This is a step for protecting the Dreamers.
• This is a step for flipping the Senate and cleaning out Congress.
• This is a step for being proud of America.
• This is a step for honoring our veterans and our service members.
• This is a step for continuing to fight systemic racism.
• This is a step for equality for every human in America.
• This is a step for leadership and respect, finding solutions for the Pandemic and not just waiting for it to “go away.”

I am taking steps for America. If these steps don’t get me into the polling area then each additional step will be taken with the lyrics of “God Bless America” running through my head. Even though I am not a typical Christian I can’t help but believe that the Big Guy, if he is up there and looking down, has tears rolling down his or her cheeks right now.

“God bless America!
Land that I love!
Stand beside her,
And guide her,
Through the night
With the light
From Above.”

That should get me right up to the counter or to the ballot box. I have counted the months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds for going on four years. After seven months of shut-in, I will be brave for the one thing that matters the most right now, MY country, to begin the repair of all that has been wrong.

TODAY IS THE DAY THAT I VOTE!

TODAY I ROAR!