UTTERMEDIA

A brief look at some of the disregarded moments at the December 2010 student protests. Click images for larger versions.

A policeman with a first aid logo on his baton.

A student trying to burn some concrete blocks.

A photographer with a ridiculous moustache. 

My friend Rob has voted twice before, but this time around our local council managed to screw up his electoral role details (the very same happened to me in 2005). He made a very interesting statement on his profile page, which sums up my thoughts perfectly.

“I would like to vote. I think its important to have your say, but now I can’t I’ve started to look at it in a different light. There are a lot of people in the country who believe just because they vote, it gives them the right to expect the elected government to make everything alright for them in their own lives, rather than actually making any effort themselves to better their lives or make any changes.

There are too many lazy pessimistic moaning buggers in this country who use every opportunity to blame someone else for their lives being stagnant, debt-ridden and downright mediocre.”

The way in which I was brought up and educated by my parents, with good schooling, I learned that it was considered bad taste and ill form to discuss political affliction in the run-up to local or general elections.

Any adult or seasoned voter will surely agree. So it vexes and baffles me when people my age, or younger, older, or far older are so faux-confident in spewing out their allegiance publicly. Voting is a very personal thing. An agreement on immigration, education or health will be completely over-shadowed by policies personal and specific to you:

• Income Tax - Will it even effect you?
• Property Markets - Are you a homeowner? Are you looking to buy?
• Health Care - Does the NHS benefit you or someone in your family?
• Marriage - Are you married? Are you getting married/divorced?
• Education - Are your children in school? Are you at Uni? Pedophile?

Voting purely based on the economy, welfare, the environment and other “bigger picture” policies just seems a little out of your depth when it could be your first real-important vote. Take a look at what will effect YOU, not something which you know very little about. It’s not about sounding educated and opinionated in front of your colleagues and friends. It’s about making a difference for you, your future, and your children’s future.

One of the greatest things to come from living in a democratic kingdom is the freedom to vote. One of the drawbacks is that it gives idiots (and Daily Mail readers) a voice.