Where is my ballot? A commentary on the Israeli Election Process by Boaz Albert

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The following is a translation of a Hebrew article by Boaz Albert that I saw on
http://www.hakolhayehudi.co.il/?p=55158

And where my Ballot? ● Opinion
by Boaz Albert | Jan 21 2013, 10th of Shvat 5773


"Just come and choose"  posters and publications are exhorting us. "If you don't choose, someone else will choose for you instead of you." So I came. They asked so nicely ... But I suddenly realized that someone else had already decided for me what was fitting for me to choose.

"If you do not choose they will pick for you", "let's vote," "Whoever votes, affects!" - these are just a few of the posters that encourage us to come and decide by our own hands "the future of our children."

The State invests considerable resources to the success of the electoral process. Campaigns, laws and regulations, what not? The State invests millions and millions to make us, the citizens, to vote and determine the face of the country's leadership for the coming years.

A celebration of democracy.

The Election Day is declared today a public holiday. So that Heaven forbid, there wiil not be a situation where the workload prevents someone from fulfilling his "civic duty." Many laws have been enacted to ensure absolutely the secret of their choices and the ability to truly express the will of the voters, namely my will. Wonderful!. Really nice on the part of the state to be so considerate of  me. Never felt so important.

So I internalized the messages, and I bothered to get to the polls. I stood in line like everyone else, I provided legal identification, I received an envelope and into the inner sanctum ...

And now, the big moment.

Selection.

Ta ta ta tum.

All those months of talk, arguments, recriminations, divisions and associations, conferences and rallies, flyers and ads, now all drains down to a small cardboard box with piles of ballots with the names of the parties and their official Letters of Identification.

Envelope in my hands and eyes wander over the selection of options.

Chooses to honor ..

Decide and determine the fate of parties and ministers ..

Who Establishes Kings ..

Suddenly, a thought crawls to  my head.

Now, where is my ballot?

My ballot, I suddenly realize, nothing is here ..

My ballot should be all kinds of things are very important to me. Very important to the people of Israel. I'm sure that if the Jews would see my ballot they would be very excited .. But where is it?

I'm looking in the back, perhaps it fell down? Looking beneath the piles, maybe someone accidentally covered it? No, it is absent. Simply my ballot is not there.

I am looking for a ballot that reads, "The courts in Israel will act according to the laws of the Torah. Legislation will not be contrary to the rulings of the sages of Israel." I'm looking for it, there is no such ballot.

I am looking for a ballot that reads "The Land of Israel belongs to the Jews only. Other peoples back to their countries." Scrutiny raises no such ballot.

I am looking for a note that says "transfer parts of the homeland to the enemy is treason punishable by death." There is no such ballot.

I am looking for a ballot that says "Appointment of a king, eradicating the seed of Amalek, the construction of the Temple." There is no such ballot ..

So true. There are all sorts of interesting ballots. "There is something new happening", and it's very curious what will come out of it. There is a strong prime minister who wants to be more powerful to be able to do something really strong (what is that?), There is even a party that demands equality for Arabs but reverse of the reverse (but maybe even one more reverse, go figure it out).

Nice to have a choice. There's nothing to talk about.

But where is my ballot?

Someone took my ballot from the game.

So I can choose in secret and complete freedom, what my heart desires. I set and I decide. All right just that ..

"They" have already decided for me what the options of which I am free to choose freely and without pressure. Other options, it was decided for me, they are probably not good for me. And since those Deciders feared I might get carried away and make decisions that are not good for me, they made sure in advance to get these options out of the game. Not to easily hurt myself by being lightheaded ...

Real responsible parents ...

Wait, who actually are these responsible parents?

Who are responsible for overseeing this game?

The two groups that generally run the country, and especially in what I can and can not decide in elections, are the courts and the media. While covering for each other mutually, this one in the name of the "rule of law" and this one in the name of  "freedom of expression" suppress any possibility of disobedience. That is, to say a choice that is outside the framework that they who are responsible, set.

They know better than I, what is good and bad, so they set limits. Within the boundaries, they allow me full freedom of choice without pressure. But only within the limits.

For example, I can not ask citizens whether they favor the Arabs will go away. See this question could lead to unpleasant consequences ... so therefore a secure  filter is established so that only certain questions can be asked. Approved questions.

And all these nice ballots in the  box,  are okay according to the regulators.  They are approved options. But apparently not my ballot.

It is very important to these regulators that I come to realize this right to vote and influence.

I think it is very important to them.

Let's vote, they beg.

Let's determine freely and without pressure the public agenda.

Just in case.

Otherwise, if you do not, someone will choose you, and what a waste.

PS I think I should come and vote for a party that will promote what is proper to promote, each one according to his outlook. I just asked to refine the message that the real decision is probably outside the boundaries of the Election Committee. Be Successful!