Woman says empty seats are motivation to ‘ask first’

 

Never before has a single empty chair caused so much commotion and demanded so much attention as the one “pulled out” for the 2012 Presidential election.

On Aug. 30, Clint Eastwood, Hollywood tough guy, rocked the world with his “empty chair” speech at the Republican National Convention. He was there to give an endorsement speech for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney but directed questions to an empty chair and an absent President Obama.

As “follow-up” to Eastwood’s Q&A, empty chairs are making appearances all across the country as motivation for voters to “ask” before they “cast.”

“‘Eastwooding’ is what they are calling it,” said Amy Vinson of Troy. “When I first heard Clint Eastwood, I thought he was just a rambling old man. I thought he was weak and unprepared. But the more I listened, the more I realized that he spoke it all.”

Vinson said Eastwood’s “theatrics” made her realize how important it is for all Americans to “check their history” in an effort to be “informed” voters.

“We need to look back at Hitler and Germany,” she said. “We need to read and understand our Constitution and our Declaration of Independence before we cast our votes. I think that’s the message of all these empty chairs. I think it’s a patriotic message.

“And, it’s also a moral issue that we are facing here in our country. We don’t seem to be brave enough or outspoken enough to stand up for what we believe. It’s time for Christians to speak out. We’ve been silent too long.”

Vinson said it is every American’s right to vote and to speak out in support of an issue or in opposition to it.

“I think the empty chairs are encouraging people to be bold and to be brave,” she said.

“In so many different ways, the empty chairs are saying.

‘Don’t be afraid to take a stand. Stand up for what you believe. Stand up for your country. Don’t be afraid to speak out. Exercise your rights. Go to the polls and vote your convictions.’ That’s what these empty chairs are all about.”