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ericans Are Obligated
To Cast Their Ballots
give my hand and my heart to this vote."
— American statesman Daniel Webster
Voting is more than a right in a representative
mocracy such as ours — it's also a responsi-
bility.
So voters should make it their business to
vote next Tuesday, Aug. 4, in the primary elec-
tion — either in person or by absentee ballot.
The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voters will nominate Republican, Democra-
tic and Reform party candidates for a slate of
federal, state, county and local offices: U.S.
representative, governor, state senator, state
,..-,presentative, county commissioner, precinct
delegate. Voters also will narrow the field for
some nonpartisan judgeships. County and
local proposals will be on some ballots as well.
Primary elections are notorious for low
voter turnouts. And that's unfortunate because
many races — those in districts dominated by
a particular party — are settled in the primary.
By the time the general election rolls around in
those districts, the primary winner all but has
le office in question sewn up.
Since 1988 in Oakland County, the turnout
of registered voters in primary elections has
averaged 20.68 percent -- which means four
of every five registered voters fail to exercise
one of their most precious constitutional
rights! Statewide in the last decade, the prima-
ry-election turnout hasn't averaged much bet-
ter: 21.04 percent.
And that's discouraging. Citizens of govern-
ment-controlled nations like Cuba, Iraq and
China long for the voting freedoms we take for
granted.
Bluntly put, if you don't vote, don't expect
much sympathy when you want to complain
about bad roads, high taxes or poor services.
And don't think for an instant your
informed vote doesn't matter. Consider the fate
of two Jewish candidates: In 1990, West
Bloomfield's Debbie Schlussel lost by one vote
in the primary in her run for a state House
seat (this year, she's seeking a state House seat
in the 39th District). In 1984, Ben Marks lost
by 25 votes for a seat on the Farmington Hills
City Council (the next year, he won a council
seat).
If you don't know where to vote, or want to
vote by absentee ballot, call your city or town-
ship clerk. There's virtually no legitimate rea-
son not to vote in the primary — unless you
aren't registered. It's too late to register now,
but you can register until Oct. 5 for the Nov. 3
general election.
Remember: You may vote in only one
party's primary. If you try to vote in more than
one, your ballot will be invalidated. No ticket
splitting is permitted in a primary election.
Citizen participation in government is the
hallmark of the democratic ideals we so cher-
ish. We as a people are only as strong as the
representatives we elect to govern us.
So voters, take note: It's your obligation,
indeed your duty, to vote next Tuesday,
Aug. 4.
Burning Memory
Judaism is known for throwing its share of
curveballs:
Stepping on a wine glass at our weddings to
remember the destruction of the Holy Temple in
Jerusalem two millennia ago. Depriving our-
i -selves of our main source of sustenance, bread,
during one of our most joyous holidays —
Pesach. The words of the Kaddish prayer of
mourning, which exalt the beneficent and glori-
ous ways of the Almighty rather than focus on
the loss of-loved ones.
And then there's Tisha B'Av, which falls this
year on the evening of Saturday, Aug. 1. At a
time in our annual cycle in which thoughts of
family barbecues and riding the waves at Cass
'Lake or Lake Charlevoix dominate our minds,
Tisha B'Av calls on us to remove ourselves from
the comfort and indulgence of our material exis-
tences and takes us to a place of pain, anguish
and uneasiness.
Like a haunting memory, it mandates that we
demonstrate our humility before God and our
ancestors by temporarily negating our current
lives of luxury to dredge up the ache of the past,
which whether consciously or not is always with
us. After all, what Jew — regardless of their affil-
iation, background or level of Jewish literacy and
knowledge — is not familiar with the devasta-
tion and suffering integral to the story of our
people? It is that sense of memory that fuels our
desire to function as a united entity despite our
divergences in perspective and approach.
Tisha B'Av is an outpost, an island, of memo-
ry. Almost like those in repentance, we dim the
lights, remove our footwear, sit on the floors of
our synagogues and temples, and listen to the
cryptic, tearful words of Jeremiah lamenting the
horrific time in Jewish history in which our spir-
itual and physical homes burned.
Don't wait for the arrival of Tisha B'Av to
begin contemplating the reason for our lament-
ing. Now is the time to spiritually prepare your-
self for the introspection required to appreciate
the solemnity of this day, not to mention the
glory bestowed upon all of us with the gift of
life. El
IN FOCUS
Making Waves
Hillary Shapiro, 7, cools off on the water slide during the Stars
of David annual picnic Sunday at Camp Ruth on the grounds
of the Kahn Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield.
Stars of David is an international support, social and educa-
tional group for Jewish adoptive families. "We provide a group
for families to meet each other and get to know each other and
talk about adoptive and Jewish issues," said Rosa Schindler,
president of Stars of David/Metro Detroit.
LETTERS
Max Fisher
A Wise Man
Our respect and admiration
for Max Fisher ("Elder States-
man" July 24) is unlimited.
He has truly made a positive
difference in the lives of mil-
lions of people.
Let us take heed of the
words of Mr. Fisher in refer-
ence to Israel. "I feel now's
the time they need us more
than anything else. But they're
still under tremendous pres-
sure. We have to help them
bring about what I consider a
light unto the nations."
With those words in mind,
let us join with him in our
unequivocal support of Israel.
Mazel tov and happy birth-
day to a very wise and noble
man, Max Fisher.
Leonard Baruch
Southfield
Chicago Move Is
Not The Answer
Max Fisher
As one of the many young
adults who elected to stay in
metropolitan Detroit after
graduating from college, I am
writing to express my concern
and outrage over the recent
series of articles promoting
Chicago as a great destination
for Detroit's young Jews ("Big
Shouldered Adventure" July
24).
7/31
1998
Detroit Jewish News
31