To the Editor:
A few months ago I found myself in a dilemma. I didn't know if I should register to vote in Massachusetts or to send an absentee ballot to Florida. My father finally advised me to send an absentee ballot since he predicted that my vote would probably matter more there.
Was he ever right! As the nation and the rest of the world eagerly waits to see who the first president of the 21st century will be, I never imagined his prediction to be so timely and so true. As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, the margin of the popular vote between Gore and Bush in Florida was by a mere 1,700 votes in favor of George W. Bush. (This is less than the number of students at Tufts). With such a small margin, there has been pressure to recount the votes, those of which include votes from incoming absentee ballots.
As a naturalized American citizen and an immigrant from El Salvador, Central America, it gives me great honor to know that my opinion, expressed through my vote will in fact make a large difference in selecting our president. Choosing a president not only affects domestic politics, but also United States interventions in foreign countries. Coming from such a disadvantaged and war-torn third-world country, I am amazed to see that a simple vote can and will in fact make such a profound impact on politics on so many levels. This is indeed a privilege to me.
So to all the lecturers who taught me the importance of the vote, thanks. And to all the members of the Tufts community, don't ever overlook your power to vote despite any previous discouragement. Your ideals, your character, all who you are can in fact matter in the politics of the world today.
Rebeca Brizuela, GSAS '01
