The following letter is in response to "The case against voting," by Marye Moran

“Go vote. It makes you feel big and strong.” With those parting words, Bob Scheiffer ended the final 2012 Presidential debate. We must heed these words as American voters, and especially here on a college campus. Though I understand the perspective of the recent Heights op-ed “The Case Against Voting,” I respectfully disagree. Voting is a right that few in the world can exercise so freely as here in the U.S. Across the world, how many people are fighting and dying for the right to have a say in their national destinies? The sheer act of voting is more than a say in policy decisions—it is the strongest endorsement of our democratic government, our values, and our faith in the future. Frustrating though uninformed voters may be, their voice is worth just as much as any other American citizen’s and deserves to be heard. Yes, we have an obligation to be informed, but if we do not encourage others to vote, then how will we ever help our fellow Americans realize just how empowering it is? If you don’t want to vote, then fine, but please don’t discourage others from exercising their right to equally shape our American destiny.