To vote or not to vote

I have pretty strong memories of being in elementary school and having a mock vote during a presidential election. What I remember more than anything are these two things: 1. hearing that a person's voting choice is an extremely personal choice that can be kept a secret 2. being so jealous of grown ups who got to really vote (and eat ice cream any time they wanted).

1. I think a person's voting selection is a lot less secretive than it was a generation or two ago. Many people are more than willing to share their picks for commander in chief and some go so far as to sport bumper stickers, facebook statuses and over priced t-shirts that let everyone know "hey, I like that guy!"
Even if you don't outwardly say who you vote for, people might be able to guess. Our clothes, hobbies, personal values and career choice often say a lot about what we like and who we stand for.
And yet, I think I would like to live in a time when people had no idea who their neighbors, co-workers, kids or spouses were voting for. The conversations leading up to the election are always heated, and sometimes stimulating. And maybe without knowledge of who someone votes for we would have less of that.
I can proudly say that two of my bffs are republicans and we some how find a way to love each other just as much as if we all agreed on what puppet should run our country. Perhaps, I love them even more because I know their friendships are worth disagreeing on some fundamental issues.
Nevertheless, what would this whole election season be like if we didn't wear our political party hearts on our sleeves?

2. Elementary school went by in a hurry and before I knew it, I could vote. The fantasy became a reality and with that came a bitter taste adults get about a lot of things that had once seemed so sweet. Realistically, voting isn't what I thought it would be all those years ago. For one, I live in California, a state that is so blue, my itty bitty ballot has almost zero say in who gets elected. Then there are those annoying ads that play for months, "Yes on 30" "32 is bad" "Wait, someone thinks 32 is good!" The facts are so challenging to decipher that it's easier to play ignorant and change the channel to The Voice, where the voting seems a lot more personal. And while there is something sad about that, it's true.
Everyone, and I mean everyone seems to spend the days and weeks leading up to the election preaching, "I don't care which way you vote, but just do it." Their words seem to say, even though you're not on my side, make your voice heard.
Well, I'm taking a more controversial approach, "whatever you want to do: vote or not, do it." I don't disagree with voting and I do think it's a powerful right that many people will never know. But, the system is less than perfect and Americans are jaded.
If you've never voted, I would argue you might as well do it once and see how you feel about it. You can't say you hate brussel sprouts until you've put one in your mouth and spit it out (and if that happens, try them again with caramelized onions and bacon). But, if you have voted and you feel unsure about doing it again, or if you have no clue what any of those people stand for, you don't have to.
Because in America, we believe in freedom. As a member of the 50 states, you have the freedom to stay at home, watch the election coverage, and wonder if your fellow citizens helped to make a wise decision, even if you stayed out of it. Or, sit back and watch the final season of Jersey Shore. It's supposed to be epic...or something like that.