Whether you feel the country is moving forward, or needs a change; whether you approve of our state's path, or think North Carolina needs a change in direction; whether you feel Bladen County is well-led, or that we need new members on the county commission, you should cast your vote, if you haven't already done so.

Early voting will continue through Saturday at 1:00 p.m., and then you only have Election Day, Tuesday, to make your mark and do your part as an American. Whether you vote for new leadership or vote your confidence in our local, state and national leaders, you must vote.

No one will come and arrest you if you don't, but failure to do your part in the election process is a crime of a different nature. It is a crime against one's self, family and country. Thousands upon thousands of Americans have bled and died, worried and prayed, sacrificed and suffered so you may go into the polling place and make your mark.

This year's election has been bitter on all fronts, but that's not unusual these days. Voters tend to have short memories when it comes to the mud slung in so many contests; elsewise they'd know this year really hasn't been that much worse than some other years. Regrettably, mudslinging is something at which we seem to excel in North Carolina, a sorry tradition stretching back to colonial times, when King George III still had to approve the choices of the state's leaders.

We no longer have to wait on a king's whimsy to know who our lawmakers, defenders and keepers of the public trust will be. Your race, religion, or wealth play no role in the importance of your vote. The working class parent of three in a rental home has the same vote as the multi-millionaire in a mansion. The fact that you are an American is the only thing that matters.

Our nation is at war. The economy is improving, but it still has some way to go. Our country is growing and at a crossroads, at odds with itself over everything from stem cell research to gay marriage to gun control.

Tuesday's election is your chance to be a part of this, what may well be a defining moment in our nation's history. You can make your feelings known, and decide your place in this great experiment and greater fellowship called America.

The people we elect will be making the laws by which we live, deciding the path our country takes, defending our homes and nation and way of life, and most importantly, laying the groundwork for the world our children and grandchildren will inherit. You should vote and do your part.

Anyone can see this election matters greatly. Thousands of Americans have felt strongly enough about it to run voter registration drives, volunteer as campaign workers, and yes, line up to vote early.

It would be easy to blow off the election, with the news filled with stories of voter registration fraud and high-pressure registration drives (some of which turned out to be scams).

But these shenanigans should drive even more people to the polls. If the professional politicians are willing to fight this hard for every vote, we shouldn't take our ballots so lightly.

Take the time to go out and vote Tuesday, if not before. Your vote is a matter of life and death: those who are elected Tuesday will have the responsibility of protecting and improving your quality of life for you and your family, and many Americans have died to give you the right to choose your own destiny.

Don't make their sacrifices worthless, and don't take this most basic American right for granted. Make your vote count on Election Day.

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