Fall brings change, and the chance to vote
Triple “V” here today… Very dark, Voting and Veterans Day… and you should or will experience these “V’’s this week. Already, we have lost valuable daylight. We have been debating the importance of keeping this time change for decades now, and still North Carolina has not decided to leave time as it is.
Medical evidence continues to present facts that this simple, one-hour shift in time creates problems for many of us. Over 300 million folks will experience sleep disruptions leading to foggy brains, mood shifts and changes to our body and mind.
There are two states, Arizona and Hawaii, who do not change clocks, while the rest of us plead with legislators to quit this time shift. Ben Franklin is credited with this clock shift, rationalizing that candle usage would be more economical and save money when we increased daylight hours to coincide with work hours. Now, the extended daylight causes more use of air conditioning and more heating when we shift back, possibly costing more money.
What can you do? For your health and wellbeing, spend as much time as you can in the sunshine. We’ve spoken before of the value of sunshine and the benefits of outdoor time. So, as we move into this time shift, at least enjoy the time that we have in our beautiful environment. Fall colors are here for the next little bit, enjoy.
Second “V”… voting. Just as recycling should be an activity all of us should do to do our part in sustaining our natural world, voting is something you should do to be a responsible citizen in this county and country. Even though this is not a national election, all politics start locally. As my dad still says (at 98 years old), “Don’t complain if you don’t vote.”
Voting this year is a little different in so far as that a Voter ID is required to vote. If you voted early, congrats and thank you for your efforts to make our community the best it can be. If you have any questions about voting, if you have moved and did not change your registration, if you don’t know where to vote, please access the online tools with Gaston County, www.gastongov.com/242/elections. This will give you information to assist you in your opportunity to make a difference in Gaston County. Just like recycling helps our collective community, so does voting.
The third and final “V” is our Vital, Valuable Veterans. Where would this country be without the men and women that we are proud to honor on Veterans Day? Originating as a way to honor those service people who served during World War I, President Woodrow Wilson spoke to the American public on Nov. 11, 1919, one year since the end of the war, the first Armistice Day. The War to End All Wars, unfortunately, did not live up to its potential. Many wars and conflicts since, the United States of America depend on the millions who serve to protect our democracy and freedom. Recognizing that this Armistice Day needed to be more reflective of the additional wars, conflicts and peace keeping efforts, a World War II veteran, Raymond Weeks, from Birmingham, Alabama brought this idea to General Dwight Eisenhower in 1945.
In May, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law replacing “Armistice” with “Veterans” as this holiday has been known since. Once again, we thank all of those who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces to protect our freedoms. Until foreign affairs are national news, like the conflict in Israel and Gaza, like Ukraine and Russia, and we can see how others have lost their ability to live freely can we ultimately appreciate how great this country is to all of us. We have opinions and choices. Choose wisely and choose with the responsibility of those too young to make those choices. Think about the impact your choices have on this community, our state and our planet.
Nan Kirlin is the recycling coordinator for Gaston County.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Fall brings with it many changes, and the chance to vote
