I am so glad the window for registering voters has just closed this evening in New York.You see I have been out here registering people to vote for over one year this election cycle.Last cycle (2012) I was able to convince over 500 bi-partisan citizens to register with the help of a few friends and volunteers.This cycle (2016) we signed up a couple of hundred but things have changed a lot.People now seem a little more bitter and angry about almost everything .Last cycle some people were still excited about casting another historic vote for President Obama, although admittedly they weren’t as excited as 2008 but they still went to the polls with enthusiasm on both sides of the aisle.This time we got a whole new ballgame.
Why do I personally register people to vote because I remember the struggles my relatives faced even as a little girl unable to vote and the promises we made to our parents to vote as soon as we turned 18.Prior to our 18th birthdays we even went to the polls and hung out behind the curtain picking well thought out candidates from the lists my parents had.Once all the selections were carefully made it was my job to pull the big lever down wait for the curtain to roll back so we could go for ice cream or some treat as a family.Voting for us was a well earned previlege and a event not to be missed or taken at all for granted.
I have another reason to be so passionate about voters registration now.New York is passing laws everywhere to ensure people like me never go through what I went through again.Imagine living with a dying heart for four years knowing that the only thing that will save you eventually will be a new transplanted heart.Think about it living in a tri-state metropolitan area with some 14 million people and when the numbers of registered donors are counted that area is last in the nation in percent of registered eligible adults.New York never wants to be last at anything .WHY THIS?
So we set out in 2009 to correct this woeful situation with a collaboration of OPO’S (Organ Procurement Organizations),lawmakers,Doctors.Nurses,patients and anyone who was affected by this lifesaving mission.We identified many things but most of all the need to ask people not just at DMV but everywhere the state does business.So we passed legislation to include donor apps with many of the states applications and offices and began pushing the need because when polled over 90% of New Yorkers supported the cause but most had not signed the registry.
This brings the case back to why I think people feel like fighting with me this year.The first thing I’m doing is asking people to register to vote and they are mad.They are mad at him they are mad at her so my next conversation is why be mad make a decision stick with it then go vote.
First fight begins like this “:Who the hell am I going to vote for I don’t like either one?” and they are mad again.I let them know I’m there on behalf of organ donation and am bipartisan.
Second fight “What the hell does organ donation have to do with voting?”I flip over app and tell them you can sign to be a donor on back of voters registration because so many New Yorkers haven’t done it a DMV and 22 people across the nation will die today waiting.
Third fight “Well thats just damn stupid why are we not doing this?”My answer nobody asked you but I am here because a young man made that decision for himself and his brave family honored his wishes.You know whats coming next “Are you a donor?” At this point one or two things happens they enthusiastically start digging in their pockets or bags to show me their ID with donor hearts on it or their heads go down.In the latter case I’m there to send them off heads up with a smile and a new life saving attitude.
I now travel all over the country signing people up anywhere I’m invited and sharing the story of life in schools,churches,conventions,libraries,street fairs,TV,radio,magazine,etc..My son says I will even go to a garbage can opening if there’s people there to listen.The voters registration period will soon be over and maybe people will feel better and decide not to fight with a heart transplant recipient. Remember we got a second chance at life because of a hero out there who thought about others while they were alive.Sharing our story we are closing in on signing up 9,000 new organ,eye,and tissue donors.Don’t fight with me I got a new heart to protect and a second chance to help maybe you one day.
GET OUT AND VOTE IN THE STUPID ELECTION LOL!!