When the founding fathers of America signed the Declaration of Independence they understood that they were accepting the possibility that they and their families could be killed for doing so. But because of what they did 228 years ago, today I have much freedom and I get to vote for my leaders. I did so in the last presidential election.

On Election Day, I went to work as I always do and planned to vote afterwards. Danny and I had been preparing for this election. We received a voter's guide newspaper in the mail. It told the views of candidates on important issues. We filled it out then I took it to work.

All through the day I asked my co-workers if they were going to vote. Pat said yes. She was very concerned about this election and she liked discussing the views of the candidates. I asked Deborah if she was going to vote and she said she didn't plan on it because they're all corrupt anyway. When I asked James he said he doesn't like politics and he's not registered. Patty told me about a month before that she wanted to go register but I knew she hadn't. At lunch my little sister Deena and I discussed the candidates because she would vote on her way home. When I was getting ready to leave
I asked my conservative friend Damon if he was going to vote. He said no and didn't consider it very important. Finally, I went to see my friend Gerald in his office. I had a voter's guide in my hand and talked to him trying to get him excited about voting. He said he wouldn't get off work in time. I told him it is a law that our company has to let us go vote if we need to. Then I told him this, "There is a famous quote by Edmond Burke. It says, 'The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.' And Gerald, you are a good man!" I wasn't able to persuade him.

Then I left and went to vote. It was the simplest thing. With my voter's guide under my arm I walked into the Methodist Church, voted and then went to my home and family about half of a mile away. We then had a peaceful evening and watched the election turnouts on television.

I've been watching the news about the elections that will be held in Iraq. General Hammond of the U.S. Army was interviewed. He told how the poling places will have layers of security; There will be the Iraqi police, then the Iraqi Army and then the outermost layer will be the American Military. There have been several poling places that have been bombed now just a few days before the election. The terrorists are putting out videos on the internet threatening people not to vote. The candidates also have been threatened and even if a candidate loses the terrorists are threatening to harm them. There has sadly been a new report of an American man taken hostage by the terrorists and they threaten to behead him. There are 4 million voters in Baghdad and even though there are all of these barriers our military says they still expect a high turnout.

There are possibilities that some will die because of participation in the Iraqi elections. In all of my voting life, about 20 years, I have never had to fear for my life or family because I voted. I truly thank God for that. And as I watch this very historical Iraqi election take place and see the democratic process unfold in what was once a severely oppressed land led by a tyrant, I intend to remember all the important details so I can stress to my children why it is a true privilege as an American citizen that we get to vote.