In his op-ed, professional snowboarder Danny Davis implores his audience to vote in the 2020 United States presidential election. Davis explains that in order to combat the effects of global warming, drastic action needs to be taken by those in power. He says that the first thing all snowboarders can do is to cast their ballot on November 3rd.
Davis is surely right that global warming poses a serious threat to winter sports. As he explains, “in Michigan, where [he] grew up, winters seem to arrive late—or not at all.” My own experience has confirmed this: winters in New England have become more erratic. Often the only reason I am able to snowboard at a mountain is because of the park’s own snow-creating machines, providing what Mother Nature no longer can.
I also agree with Davis that voter turnout is abhorrently low. Davis cites the statistic: “In the 2016 election, Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 marked the lowest voter turnout, with just 46 percent casting ballots.” One of the best responses to this statistic comes from legendary musician David Byrne’s interview with Pitchfork, where he imagines that those who don’t vote are saying “OK, you decide what’s best for me and my family and my children. Make up my mind for me, because I don’t feel like going down to the elementary school today.” These quotes from Davis and Byrne highlight how important the act of voting is, especially for an action that takes very little time and effort. The simple act, too often ignored by snowboarders, will clearly determine the path that the United States puts itself on for the foreseeable future.
I agree with Davis when he declares “If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about the way things are. You’ve got to be a part of the process to expect change.” Again highlighting the importance of voting, Davis notes how our voices in democracy allow us to be a part of the system. If we choose not to use these voices, we remove ourselves from the system. While it may seem enticing to absolve yourself of blame in possibly voting for the wrong candidate, it would be even worse to look in from the outside and think “I could have stopped this.” Especially now, when the two candidates have such a wide divide between their policies, everyone should use their vote to show support and take responsibility for the future of their nation.
I believe Davis is absolutely correct when he writes “In the end, voting isn’t for you.” Davis succinctly explains that voting is for the greater good, and that it is important to preserve the outdoors and protect human rights for the generations that will follow us. With the wonderful experiences both Danny Davis and I have had enjoying the outdoors, especially during the winter, it seems obvious that we should take action to ensure that these experiences can be enjoyed by others further down the line.
The author and I both agree that the only logical presidential candidate to vote for is Joe Biden, however I believe Davis is irresponsible for glossing over this point instead of unambiguously stating that he is voting for Biden and that his audience should as well. The past four years have seen the United States move backward in terms of climate legislation, so it is necessary not to vote for whoever you want, but to vote Donald Trump out of office. Additionally, in my experience, those who are not invested in politics will often vote to keep the current president if they are on the ballot. This is supported by the fact that in the past 100 years, only three elected presidents have unsuccessfully been reelected.
Even though Davis notes that most snowboarders are disillusioned voters, he neglects to warn about the dangers of voting for a third-party candidate, especially in this election. Third parties often appeal to disillusioned voters but will almost certainly lead to more harm than good for the time being. Even though it may be tempting to write-in a candidate with a better environmental track record than Trump or Biden, such as Bernie Sanders, doing so would only split the liberal vote and result in a Trump victory. It would be more effective and responsible if Davis unequivocally stated that a vote for Biden means more snowboarding, and a vote for anyone else means less.
Although Davis makes very excellent points, he overlooks all winter sports enthusiasts who are not American. The majority of snowboarders do not live in the United States and therefore can not comply with Davis’ pleas. As its name suggests, global warming impacts all countries and their inhabitants, not just the United States.
For a piece entirely based on the importance of voting for the first time, Davis unfortunately does not explain how most Americans can vote. He does nothing to abolish the preconceived notion that voting requires going to a polling place in person to cast your ballot. Personally, I filled in a mail-in ballot and dropped it off at my town hall. It is especially important for disillusioned voters to understand just how easy voting in this election is.
Overall, Davis does a wonderful job of explaining the importance of voting in this year’s United States presidential election, mentioning climate change as the most important topic to focus on when casting your ballot. However, he stops short of explaining the difference between the candidates in-depth and explaining how to vote in this unprecedented election.