Democracy at its finest? Or Un-American?

For the past few weeks I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the power of the vote. 
 
I realized I’ve taken it for granted.  I was born in to a society where at age 18 I’d fill out a form in my high school government class and suddenly have a say in who will lead our nation.   I felt the value of the vote  - the privilege.
 
Then I got over it.  Voting became something everyone does (or could).  I associated voting with long lines, or a wasted ballot when I lived in states where we all knew who would win.
 
But during the past few weeks, as I’ve been making a new docu-series about Clarkston, the spark of democracy reignited. 

On assignment in Clarkston: America's "Most Diverse Square Mile"

Seeing America through the eyes of refugees who built a new life for themselves broadened my appreciation for what I take for granted. 

I saw a group of new citizens take the Oath of Citizenship and got chills when I saw their smiles.  I met an aspiring politician who immigrated from Bhutan, became a U.S. citizen and ran for city council twice (He hasn’t won yet, but teaches citizenship classes in his spare time).  Perhaps most striking was Leon from Congo, who escaped a war-torn country to find a new home in Clarkston.  He plans to apply for citizenship as soon as he can.
 
What they all have in common is a respect for democracy and an appreciation of the title of “American.”  They weren’t born in to it.  They earned it.

---

But have they earned the right to vote? 

​In our new docu-series, They the People, we explore what one small Southern city is proposing: expanding voting rights during local elections to all citizens… even if they aren’t U.S. citizens.   
 
To me, it’s either democracy at its finest… or the most Un-American thing a city could do.

You can watch the series here at www.TheyThePeople.com to help you decide.

 What do you think: Democracy at its finest? Or Un-American?