LETTER: VP Forman's Decision to Not Vote Appalling

By Senior Rudo Meda, Govt. and International Politics

I was appalled by Claire Forman’s comments in Broadside of October 27. What kind of Student Body Vice President, who had to be elected herself to get to where she is, would advocate not voting in an election?

This is the biggest general election of our lifetimes. I’m shocked at her imprudence and irresponsibility. People organized and sacrificed, marched, and were ridiculed, were assaulted and even died, so that both genders and all races could have citizenship rights, chief of which is the right to speak, through your only audible tool in a democracy—your vote.

By the way, how many international students, some of whom I imagine voted for Claire, cannot vote in this American election? How many international students would love to? Why? Because they like many Americans, understand that we are one of the few countries in the world that enjoys the privilege of free and fair elections, one of the few countries in the world where a person’s vote generally counts. A Student Body Vice President should know this. If for no other reason than fear of the hypocrisy charge, she should not be advocating sitting an election out, particularly not this one.