I am disappointed in the recent voter turnout for the elections. I would think that at a time during which patriotism is at its highest, voting would have been a top priority for many Americans. Unfortunately, as many reports suggested, voter turn-out across the nation still remained less than 50 percent.

It has been said that the Sept. 11 attacks were an attack on the way of life and rights of Americans. Voting has been and always will be one of the most fundamental rights that Americans possess. Do people forget about the American Revolution during which American colonists fought against the British so that they could have their own government? American colonists wanted equal and fair representation.

Many Americans died fighting in this war for the many rights we have today. So why do not all Americans exercise their right to vote?

Every American of voting age should have voted in the last election. I did. I have voted in every election since I turned 18. While I have been attending college, I have taken the time and effort to obtain an absentee ballot for each election. I did not want to miss out on such an important part of our democracy. Not only was it important to show the terrorists that they cannot disrupt our normal way of life, but it was also a time to show your true appreciation for those Americans who have fought and/or given their lives to protect our rights.