Rise and shine, Tazerville!

Happy first Tuesday in November!

We at the Tazer have a cynical streak that you may or may not have noticed. Lots of shaking our heads at bizarre city council meetings and senseless killings are the culprits. For a long while, we lacked faith in the political process, but once violence touched all of our lives, our interest picked up.

Today is about the interconnectedness of all things. Wherever you live in Richmond, even if you don't think violence is your problem, it's your problem. Even if you or someone you know aren't a victim, even if it doesn't happen in your neighborhood, and even if you haven't even heard a gunshot.

What does it mean to you if an ambulance, firetruck, or police cruiser is busy tending to an incident across town? A: They can't come to you if you need them right away.

And what does it mean if you complain for better service? A: Those extra services need extra taxes or you remain underserved.

So it costs you something -- either money or lives -- and thus it costs us all something.

And this is why we want to ask all of you something very important: "Are you satisfied with how things are going in Richmond?"

We mean really and truly satisfied, and if you don't mind if things keep going the way they are. If you don't vote, that's what you're asking for, and that's what you deserve to get.

However, if you want things to be different and if you want change, the only way to get that ball rolling is to VOTE. You have to vote, and you have to convince everyone you know to vote. Heck, you have to convince complete strangers to vote! That's what politics is all about!

Our goal at the Tazer is to inform who we can about the goin's on around Richmond, so we like to think we're encouraging our readership to be aware and informed and casting educated votes. Thus, we're going to give you one last nugget of wisdom to take with you, to encourage you to multiply your vote by getting other people to vote with you...

Your perfectly good, educated vote is cancelled out by the ignorant voter who scribbles in the blank next to "Incumbent" or "Councilmember" just because they're complacent and too lazy to do the work you did for a smart vote.

But you're not complacent and you're not lazy, are you? You have healthy fear and a strategy to inform your friends and family to make sure you're all voting as a block. All of you want what's right and good for Richmond, and you're going to get it!

From Tazerville, we command you: GO! VOTE! WIN!