There are those who say they may not vote in the presidential election because they don’t feel they’ve been given a choice.

Well yes, we do have a choice. It may not be the candidates we had hoped for, but clearly there is a choice.

Not voting, by definition, is also a choice but it’s a bad one.

The concept of our democratic republic is not perfect. But by comparison to other forms of governments around the world, most of us would agree that it’s better than all the rest. It works more times than it fails.

Many feel our electoral process needs an overhaul. Perhaps that is true. But meanwhile we must work with what we have. This is not like an auction where we set a minimum low bid and if it doesn’t meet that established base, then we cancel and start over. 

Furthermore, let’s keep in mind the sacrifices that many men and women have made through the years to secure our form of democracy and even to spread that concept to other nations.

If one should not vote because he or she doesn’t feel any candidates meet their criteria for leadership, then what does that say to those men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. At the Battle of the Bulge, those brave souls did not have an option of “sitting it out.” The same can be said for Omaha Beach and many other episodes of war where the cause of freedom came with a very heavy price.

Not voting out of indifference in November would be an incredible disrespect to all of those names on that monument on our courthouse square. Think about it.