EDITORIAL: Cast a terrifying vote on Tuesday

May 21—Thomas Jefferson said it well when he said, "We do not have a government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate."

Or, more bluntly, from the author Nanette L. Avery, our neighbor to the north in Nashville, who said, "Talk is cheap, voting is free; take it to the polls."

You get the idea. Tuesday is primary election day, and if you want a say in how our government addresses potholes from Athens to Mobile — or say, bigger ticket concerns such as education, energy and the economy — you have to get out and vote.

Indeed, while primaries across the nation are important and consequential, Alabama's primaries are really important and consequential. Why? Because although the general election won't be held until Nov. 8, many races in our state are effectively decided in May — meaning, you may not get another chance after Tuesday to make your voice heard.

Another quote that is especially popular among those who prize the First Amendment comes from the author Alan Moore, who noted that, "Now as I understand it, the bards were feared. They were respected, but more than that they were feared." Or more succinctly, as he also said, "People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."

On Tuesday, let our governments tremble when you show up to the polls.

Every vote matters. Especially yours.