Remember, remember...

Today's the fifth of November, which (as all you Brits and V for Vendetta fans know) means it's Guy Fawkes Day. It also happens to be the day before Election Day here in the US, so that lends a bit of delicious subtext or irony, depending on your point of view, to the whole event, considering what Fawkes was known for and what the popular interpretation of V for Vendetta has been.

In any case, I think it's tremendously important that everyone get out and vote tomorrow. No matter where you live, what candidates you support, or what issues matter to you, it's important to back that up by casting your ballot. I know that particularly for my fellow Hawai'i residents, it might seem pointless; we're a small state and we only get four electoral votes in the race for the White House. However, there was an interesting column in yesterday's edition of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser pointing out that if the race is extremely close in the rest of the country, our four votes might end up meaning the difference between whether we'll have Barack Obama or Mitt Romney leading the country for the next four years. I personally doubt it'll be anywhere near that close, but hey, you never know until all the votes have been counted.

This election is about much more than the presidential race, though. In Hawai'i, we're also going to decide on who will succeed Daniel Akaka in the US Senate for the next six years, and who will represent our two districts in the House. My fellow O'ahu residents will also be choosing their next mayor, and so will voters on Hawai'i Island. As with the presidential election, unfortunately, there has been a lot of corporate money flowing into our local races, resulting in TV ads high in negativity and low on facts. The lie-filled attack ads against candidates Ben Cayetano and Mazie Hirono are some of the most disgusting I've seen in our state (though I'm told there are worse ones elsewhere, so in that sense, I'm glad I live in Hawai'i). In any case, though, don't let all the bile discourage you. There are lots of important issues for our island, state, and country, so get informed, figure out which candidates best represent you, and vote! Unless you already voted early, in which case good on you.

Incidentally, there's one big qualm I've had relating to the rail issue on O'ahu. For those who aren't aware, our island faces a contentious issue as to whether or not to build a rail transit system to help alleviate traffic. Some insist it will help get people off the roads and result in less pollution, while others say it will harm the environment, be too expensive, and ultimately not serve or be used by enough people to be an effective solution. The problem I have is that in my area (and some other parts of the island), some anti-rail folks have adopted the mantra that people there shouldn't support it because their taxes will be used to pay for it even though it won't serve their area. To me, that's a rather selfish reason and flies in the face of the Hawaiian idea of kokua -- helping others without the thought of personal benefit. I personally think whether rail is built or whether a different transit plan is put in place, it won't solve all our traffic and transit problems on its own. But "what's in it for me" should never be our benchmark for whether or not to support a plan that's important for the whole community.

Anyway, if you've made it this far, thanks for listening to me rant. And remember, if you don't vote, you can't complain! Have a great Nov. 5th and Election Day, and enjoy the end of political ads... at least, until the next cycle.
~ Toru771