Posts Tagged ‘vote’

From New York to…D.C.

Monday, August 7th, 2017

We live in a very politically aware time. For that most are both thankful and disappointed. New York is one of the best cities in the world to express your political views (more for the left than the right, but there’s a healthy amount of both). With protests for all sides, causes, and points of view, in this day and age New York is ripe with political activity. Naturally, another place for this is D.C., which besides being gorgeous and extremely hot, is a hotbed of political activity.

http://www.grayline.com/

http://www.grayline.com/

http://www.PBase.com

http://www.PBase.com/

Here’s a good way to get involved in both cities:

Protests.

Currently, protesting or marching is a huge part of being invested in whatever causes you’re pro or against. Most types of protests and rallies have a website that will give details on time and place. In NYC these usually take place along 5th Ave. if the protest or march is really big. Battery Park and Union Square are also popular places for rallies or marches. In D.C. Constitution Ave. and The National Mall have hosted some of the largest rallies in history. The White House also used to be a popular place to protest.

Rally against Islamophobia at Battery Park. Taken by Jainita Patel.

Rally against Islamophobia at Battery Park.
Taken by Jainita Patel.

The National Mall. Taken by Jainita Patel.

The National Mall.
Taken by Jainita Patel.

 

Earth Day March in D.C. Taken by Jainita Patel.

Earth Day March in D.C.
Taken by Jainita Patel.

 

Volunteer.

If protests aren’t your cup of tea, volunteering for a political campaign or any museum or cultural center that you care about can be a great way to support a cause you care about. In D.C., volunteering for a political campaign is a popular way to support local and federal government for the party you’re apart of. If the humanities are more your type of deal, the Smithsonian or even some smaller museums are always happy to take volunteers. The Holocaust Museum is also usually looking for volunteers. In NYC, most museums or cultural groups—especially those involving minorities—are looking for people to help run events. In both cities, homeless shelters are great places to volunteer to learn more about social and economic issues while helping someone out.

Inside the Holocaust Museum. Taken by Jainita Patel.

Inside the Holocaust Museum.
Taken by Jainita Patel.

 Vote.

This is the most important part of getting involved politically. NYC and D.C. are two cities that are very directly impacted by local and national elections. Registering to vote is super important if you want to make an impact in your city. You can register to vote in New York here and in D.C. here. Once your register to vote, you can help volunteer by going to this site for New York and this site for D.C. Voting stations are everywhere in both cities. In New York, there are a plethora of places to vote and they can be found here. If you’re in D.C., you can find where to vote here.

Polling Station in NYC. http://www.amsvans.com/

Polling Station in NYC.
http://www.amsvans.com/

 Get to Know Your City.

One of the best ways to become politically aware in both cities is to know your city. The best way to do that is to get out there and figure out the problems in your city that you feel strongly about so you can vote for the correct candidate in your next local election. These issues don’t just have to social or economic issues, they can range from even the simplest city infrastructure problem to how your city can become more green. In a smaller town, it’s easy to go to a town meeting and voice your opinion, but this is a lot harder in a bigger city so make sure to keep up on local news and double check your sources for online articles when it comes to events in your city. Even so, the best way to figure out what you care about is to witness these issues first hand.

Whether you’re into politics or not, politics effect both of these wonderful cities. Hopefully if you enjoy the political aspect of NYC, you’ll get to experience it in D.C. one day and vice versa.

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By Jainita Patel

Jainita is a Campus Clipper publishing intern who is double majoring in English and Environmental Studies at NYU. Though writing fiction and painting are her two main passions, she also has a love of travel and adventure that has taken her across the globe.  Jainita writes under the pseudonym Jordan C. Rider. If you like her posts, you can find more of her work here or follow her on Twitter. For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourage them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing and services.  

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Election Day: Purpose or Propaganda?

Tuesday, November 6th, 2012

It’s no secret that today is Election Day; it’s all that people can really talk about. I even got yelled at this morning for telling someone “I’ll vote after I get out of work.” One thing’s for sure: politics needed much more attention and it has definitely gotten just that…although the intentions of some citizens can come into question.

Let’s go back to the guy yelling at me. He went on to say, “If Romney gets elected he’s gonna cut welfare — I need my welfare.” Really…really sir!? Do you even care about the issues or is your brain only big enough to focus on one? My point is (and this might sound a bit exaggerated) that about 60 percent of Americans don’t even know the issues and are voting based on race or religion or some other non-factor that really shouldn’t matter when you’re voting. I couldn’t help but feel like 2008 was a “black vs. white” election and this year seems like a lot of the same thing.

Now, I’m not saying that we are all uneducated voters, but with proof like this you have to wonder what people are really voting for.

Yea…I know, right?

Now there are three options this Election Day (there are really more than three but for argument purposes I’ll keep it limited). There’s Obama, Romney, or not voting at all. Obama and Romney supporters are strong, but no one is stronger than those refusing to submit a ballot. Now, you may be thinking “How is that so? It just seems like arrogance and lack of confidence in one’s opinion.”  To counter that, I ask you, Is it really? If you ask me, it takes an EXTREME amount of confidence.

The Electoral College’s votes have the most value and they’re counted after our votes for a reason.  I think the fact that there was no clear cut solution (or at least something that sounded remotely like one) during three elections says a lot. I read a tweet from a Twitter follower that stated: “Red=Offense Blue=Defense OF THE SAME TEAM! #2PartyDictatorship.” As a matter of fact, here’s a meme that needs no introduction.

There’s clearly something bigger going on in this country.

Regardless of what you may take from this article, I DO believe voting is important. At least you’ll feel like you’re changing the shape of your country, and I intend to do my part. I hope that you all do the same but remember, even if you don’t vote, you’ll still have to abide by whatever the government has in store for us. If that’s the case, you might as well pick the lesser of two evils, whoever you feel that might be.

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Carlos L., Monroe College. Read my blog!!  Follow me on Twitter and Facebook

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