A busy young man strides down a crowded street in New York City. In his hand he carries a briefcase, which includes some proposals that he plans to work on at home. A short distance ahead of him, he sees a sign "VOTE". He keeps walking past the polls. He says to himself. "I am but one in a million. Maybe I will vote later if I can find the time."

Although her feet ache, she steps ahead a few more steps. Here!!! Finally, after years of waiting. She sets down her load, bursting with excitement. The pain in her feet has ceased.

He reaches his tall, towering apartment building, feeling the strain of the day. "Oh well, I'll vote at the next election." He says. After all he would live for a long time, and his vote would not make a difference in the years to come. His future would not be changed by one lousy vote.

Finally, in her old age, after years of fighting for this right, she and many others have voted for the first time. Their count

South Africa, history of. (2000). Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved [May 28, 2000] from the World Wide Web: http://www.britannica.com

The same happens with our government. If we, as voters (the umpires) , don't accept our responsibility to make calls about the operation of our government and whether the politicians (the players)are playing by the rules, the government doesn't function properly. In order to aid our government and ourselves, we must assume this responsibility, and vote.

In 1964, Mandela and Sisulo were sentenced to life in prison for their ANC activities, as well as any other groups the government felt were a threat to them. ("Resistance to, " 2000, para.4).

In comparing the two nations, South Africa and the United States, Black Americans primarily went through the same struggle as the citizens of South Africa did to gain the right to vote. The election of 1994 in South Africa really hit home, especially in the black communities in the U.S. (Reynolds, 1994 para.3 ). The Elections brought back memories of the Civil Rights Era, when blacks were fighting to gain full citizenship rights and to achieve racial equality. During the Civil Rights movement, individuals and organizations challenged segregation and discrimination with a variety of activities, including protest marches, boycotts and refusal to abide by segregation laws . (Reynolds, 1994 para.4). This is the same situations that the South Africans went through. African Americans can now sit in the front of the bus, eat in the same restaurant as whites, drink from the same water fountains, and yes, they have the freedom to vote. This is why it is so important for Black Americans to take the time to vote. Amamoo and Leitherman reports that Statistics released by the U.S. Federal Elections Commission "show that in 1996 only 49.8 percent of the population voted in the general election" (2000 para.1). Most people believe that their vote will not make a difference. Others make excuses such as not having enough time to vote, they can't get off from their jobs to vote, or they are to busy (2000 para.2). I think this is so pitiful and so sad. I spoke with James Davis who didn't vote in the last election "I felt that it was obvious who would be elected, and candidates from different parties were ignored by the media." (Davis, personal communication, June 7, 2000). I think these excuses are just excuses and are so untrue. If we want to make a difference and put the right person in government we have to go out there and cast our votes.

Robert Sobukwe, a member of the ANC that felt that South Africa belonged only to the Black Africans, formed a rival party, the Pan -African Congress, (PAC). Seeking to displace the ANC, the PAC organized mass demonstrations that led to the massacre of black protestors in Sharpeville in March 1960. In response to the

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