Should I vote ? Some asked

I was not going to talk about that but one of my (few) readers asked me, due to my post on photographers of war, my opinion upon the French policy in the Middle East and whether I will vote or not.

Let’s be clear ! I don’t care about Policy, Politics and elections in general. Not that I am not interested in (although…), but I don’t think that it would change a damn thing. Whoever I would vote for, I truly believe that he/she won’t do all he/she promises. I do understand that politics leaders cannot run the country on an ideal and might be forced to program laws and rules to maintain the balance of the economy (international economy) but I am too idealist to believe in them anymore.

I’ve seen a few elections and Presidential too which made me really regret my vote. Nevertheless, I read all programs of any group or party. I have to because it is the privilege of democracy, being able to choose.

2012 is a major election year in France. First of all, presidential election is due late april / early may. Our actual president is running for a second mandate and a few candidates declared themselves for the job. It might be very motivating to get this job due to the amount of people announcements.

The second election is due in June to select by ballot the Deputies. Again, it is going to be hectic. The battle already begun!

So, basically, I am supposed to vote to both elections. Presidential first round is today and I know whom I am going to vote for : no one ! Not that I have no clue about my political tendency but I don’t have a real enthusiasm for a candidate, especially from my own convictions.

I am not fond of politic and power in general. I don’t see a point about supremacy of any kind. I believe in individuals, freedom, fraternity, not equality.  We are not equal to each others. That is a fact that everyone can understand. The French constitution and motto says “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité”. There are three of the most significant words in the world (along with love, etc.) but it is not true for everyone.

My ideal line is quite far away from that Egalité thing. But I do think that we should be equals to education, work, way of living and freedom. I guess that the word I like the most is Liberté (Freedom). I request Liberty of action, thinking and acting. I do think that the most valuable skill we have is this ability to be independent and to keep on being self-governing.

Indeed, a country needs rules, authority and major influence on people but lately France has become rather radical in the freedom of opinion and expression. A few years ago, we had this liberty of speaking with our own words, rude or not, inconvenient or not, offending or not, but we could express ourselves and freely gave ours opinions. Nowadays, it is not infrequent to be judge about that kind of attitude.

I was discussing with a few colleagues and, after being asked the presidential election and the fact for voting, I said “No, I am going to vote for a party despite I don’t like the candidate. I won’t vote unless the blank vote is admitted and counted”. I guess that one of the men faint of horror and told me that I was “not a good citizen and a democratic person”. I answered back that voting is a right not a duty and I still have my freedom of thinking and acting.

The Presidential election is a bit harsh here and the two main parties are just trying to influence people to vote. TV shows are all about politics and it is quite boring to watch at the TV programs. Last Sunday, it was an eight hours live shows full of “Live Meeting”, “Live comments”, “Live interviews”.

Hello ? Are we all supposed to act like our fellow citizen ? Are we required to attend to all meetings conventions and to be passionate ?

Consequently, I guess that I am entering into four months and half of mutes and seclusion from the Medias, four months avoiding articles in magazines, newspapers and on Internet, pretending that only Art, Music, Cinema, Literature and Sports matter. Thinking about photography, writing a novel, listening to new bands, going to movies and enjoying reading a book are things I am going to do until late June.

Who cares about my vote ? Really care I mean. My grandmothers would have been very angry at me if they were still alive, but I often talked about that matter with them both and they agreed that whoever is in charge, nothing really changes.

Be a good citizen, go and vote. Be assured that you do the right choice for your own conscience and be satisfied to act properly. I already did my choice years ago.

I, I do not vote.