I’m sure you heard the retort, “If you don’t vote, you have not right to complain!” It’s especially common to hear after election days.
Of course it’s complete and utter bullshit.
I read somewhere today this parody of it, “If you don’t vote for an oppressor, you have no right to complain about your oppression!” I think that’s a perfect way to show exactly why its bullshit.
George Carlin wisely turned it around, paraphrasing, “If you do vote, you have no right to complain. You’re the one to blame for the resultant mess.” Again, another perfect way to show exactly why its bullshit.
Who started it, anyway? Probably the ones who saw the resultant mess and rather than taking some degree of responsibility for the part they played, decided to push the blame on to those who had nothing to do with it. And with the blame comes the implication of shame. “Shame on you for not voting to avert this mess!”
Democracy and republics and all the other forms of controlling other people against their will are completely devoid of any rationality other than as a means to dominate others. Nothankyou.
