Much as been written – and promoted by us – about the election videos in Israel. I want to draw your attention to two videos you might not have seen but that captures the very best and some of the worst about this country.
When the President tells you to vote, you vote
The President’s office has put this video out. It’s in Hebrew but the meaning is pretty clear: GO VOTE! You can download an application and invite three friends to vote. And on election day (Next Tuesday!) they ‘check in’ at the voting station so you can see that they did their civic duty.
It’s called בוחר מביא חבר = “The voter brings a buddy”
Yeah for a country where the politicians really want people to participate, and where election day is a national holiday. With pay!
Speaking of trying to engage the public: There’s an excellent resource page on the Knesset’s website about the elections (in English here)
But here’s where I get mad: The video explaining to first time voters how to vote (yes, it’s a theme. like peres’ smart phone application… we want the younglings to participate in the democratic process). But have a look at the “info video”
What’s wrong?
WHERE ARE THE WOMEN?
None of the parliamentarians are women, the voter is a young man adn the only – too few – women in the vid are old women. this sucks. Even if these elections are 1) not about gender equality and 2) sport worryingly few female candidates at least in a fictional world created to teach young people about our electoral system, women could play an equal role. Surely that’s possible. if you want to. And this is the bad part:
i don’t even think someone decided *against* including women in a meaningful way in the video. it just happened. and no one cares. and THAT, ladies and gentlemen, is what is unacceptable.
Awareness leads to action. action leads to change. go vote. and make your voice heard, also outside the Knesset…
At the Gates of the City 