Vote Because Betty Said So

Poster by Betty Miller (my mom)

Betty (my mom)
A proud American

Be Proud to be An American

Vote

My mom wrote this during the 1968 election. She placed 800 of these flyers on cars around the university, which I believe was Northwestern.

Written in blue ink on the original flyer (photo above): “Because of a demonstration and draft card burning deal in our town the day before elections with threat of destroying voting machines — I put these signs with a small American flag on 800 cars around the university campus.  This was done the evening before elections.” – Betty Miller (my mom)

“BE PROUD – to be an American — remember Country First Self Second ~ “Constructive Criticism” is Necessary Only if you can better our Country — do it with constructive Actions not words and not any destructive ways — VOTE  For the man of your choice and be happy you  are free to choose!” – Betty Miller (my mom)

The next page reads (and for the life of me I can’t find the second original page she wrote in hand, but I did type it up years ago):

“Well, you must have  “Guts” or by now I would be “Scattered to the Winds.”

For many months in fact many years I have listened to you and tried to understand your many dreams and ideals now all I ask of you is please listen to me.

Don’t “Scatter to the Winds” all the heritages, ideals, and even lives of those who strived to make this country great for you. I am not saying any one country can be or is perfect — I am not saying some of your ideas are bad for they are not, but be most careful with the solution of yours, mine, and the country’s problems. Therein lays your answer — be constructive not destructive — vote — don’t destroy the right of others to vote.  March — but march for something not against something. In your literature you say there is no choice but there is — the candidates may not be of your choosing — but there is a choice — a choice to let those who want the privilege to vote — vote, don’t kill the freedom they have. Instead work for what you want — labor hard and you will be heard, but to approach this country’s situation as you are doing will only hurt the country — your fellow man and yourself.

Many men have died of their own free will for this country — always (up to recently) putting country before self and many are still doing it.  The problem comes when man puts himself before country. Don’t scatter the dreams of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and all the founders of this GREAT COUNTRY to the winds. Help build a better tomorrow, a better country, and better World by following legal means to do it and if enough of you do this YOU WILL BE HEARD AND LISTENED TO.

But follow the route you are taking — only you will be seriously hurt though you may put a few scars on the United States of America and they will heal — but will you?”

My mom, Betty, wrote that on the second page of the flyer.
Betty handed these out in Chicago the night before the election in 1968.

Vote because you can.

Photo by Megan Oteri ©