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It is because other people felt responsible for YOUR rights that you are able to be so cavalier about the rights of others now.
and others will still do this regardless of whether I vote or not.
I'm surprised that you are comfortable putting your life, and perhaps the lives of people close to you, in the hands of others instead of attempting to have at least some effect on it. That's aside from any moral responsibility, just looking at it practically. You cannot guarantee that other Americans will do the right thing.
If there were a candidate that connected with on a vast majority of issues, sure, why not? If I agree with you on one thing and completely disagree on another (let's say I like your immigration policy but hate your abortion policy), then can't help you there.
You might consider prioritizing your opinions on issues by most-to-least critical, and using that to decide which candidates you are willing to vote for. That's what the rest of us do. I doubt you will find too many people who agree with every candidate they vote for on every issue. Saying that you won't vote for a candidate unless they support your positions to a one is kind of silly. It's like saying that you're looking for a 6' stacked blonde, and you meet one who is almost everything you want, except she has brown eyes.
Voting for individual amendments or things that show up on the ballot on their own I have no issue with. Voting for a candidate is deciding on a lot of things with a single vote though. I like the stance of being to vote for ***individually.
Those elections mean more (to me) than electing officials ever could
Referendum votes are really great for stuff like marijuana legalization or gambling laws. Where they fall down is on civil rights- the majority should never, ever, vote on the rights of a minority group. Things like abortion, gay marriage, affirmative action, these should never be put to referendum.
Anyway, you need to wake up. Everyone who is intelligent enough to understand political issues and form an opinion has the responsibility to vote. Even worse in your particular situation, many people died so that us African-Americans can vote, and you're squandering their sacrifice by being so apathetic and lazy.