Zawaya

Calling for boycott is mere resignation

By: Monia Ferjani

They entered a fancy, foreign restaurant and sat down. They checked the menu but couldn’t understand it due to the language barrier. The man said to his girlfriend: Choose the most expensive dish, it must be the best. The woman pointed to the most expensive item on the menu and showed it to the waiter, and the man nodded, asking for the same order. After a while, the waiter brought their food and told them in a language they could understand: “Here is what you ordered: Bread.”

Bread? Yes, bread. Bread alone, at the highest price.

This is what happens to those who go to places where people speak a language they don’t understand, think that wealth replaces culture, ignore communication with others, and only master shiny appearances. That will be our fate if we remain content with the only knowledge we memorized years ago, without learning new things and speaking a new language to engage in dialogue and deal with the revolution’s developments and requirements, such as accepting others despite their differences. Our minds have been domesticated for over fifty years, so we got used to a single leader, party, media and culture. We are used to others thinking on our behalf, finding solutions for us – while they are the ones who originally caused the problem -, speaking on our behalf, seeing with our eyes, and electing themselves to represent us.

That is why we revolted. To exist, freely express our opinions, and make our own choices. Should we leave things as they are after people sacrificed their lives? Should we desperately bury our heads in the sand and surrender to the idea that nothing will change whether we voted or not? Will change fall from heaven? Should we sit like usual and wait for a miracle? Or maybe we want a Utopia where life is pleasant without sacrifices?

I registered on the electoral roll, and so did my family, neighbors and friends. We registered despite everything: the momentum of the parties and their unconvincing speeches; the lack of security and the arsons; the continued media support for the existing regime; the high cost of living, the deteriorating purchasing power, and the declining investment; the monopoly, exploitation, and unemployment; the paper heroes, violence and provocation… We registered despite all that and many other reasons.

Refraining from voting is a negative attitude that means nothing but resignation. Negativity doesn’t build countries. As a consequence, we will be left with bread alone at the highest price.

I contributed with this article to a blogging campaign organized by Tunisian bloggers to encourage citizens to vote, supported by a parallel campaign on Facebook, and the efforts made by several actors of civil society, namely political parties, organizations, associations, the media, and different ministries and public institutions who put up advertising boards…

I believe that calling to boycott the polls is a weak and negative attitude, no matter how shaken the people’s trust is in the honesty of their governments and the integrity of the elections. Voting remains the most noble form of free expression, and it’s a right before being a duty, aiming to hinder anyone who attempts to impose tutelage on the people’s will.