Voting: a right or a duty?

VOTE OR DIE; the hyperbolic slogan created by celebrities such as P. Diddy, 50 Cent, and Paris Hilton, aimed at convinceing everybody to vote. Although there is no direct correlation between failing to vote and dying, it makes the point that everybody needs to vote so the government represents everybody. There are many who disagree with this slogan, saying that uneducated, apathetic people who don't want to vote, shouldn't. Personally I think that everybody in the country should vote, and should be required to vote. In America, voting has never been compulsory, but in many other countries it is. Being an Australian, I am fairly familiar with compulsory voting, although I have yet to cast a ballot in an Australian election. I believe it is my duty, as a citizen of Australia and America, to make my voice heard. In Australia, all citizens (minus felons and the mentally ill) are required to vote in all elections. Those who choose not to are subject to fines and penalties. For many reasons I think this is a great idea. I can already hear people screaming "it's a violation of our freedom to force us to vote," but I think that many Americans think their "individual freedom" entitles them to a lot more than it does (or should). By requiring citizens to vote you are requiring them to exercise their freedom. Because if you don't vote in a democracy, you really aren't living in a democracy at all, you are more or less living in a dictatorship chosen by your peers. Think about it, you never made known your preferences regarding who runs the country. So you're living in a country that is run by people you had absolutely no choice in putting in power. Compulsory voting means that everybody in the country's opinion is counted. Take Australia's voter turnout compared to America's voter turnout, Australia with about 95% and America with about 55%. Another thing compulsory voting does is greatly reduce voter apathy. People that know they must vote will be better informed and care more about the election, since they have to vote for somebody. Perhaps the most interesting benefit to compulsory voting is if you choose not to vote. If you don't vote under this system, your non-vote actually means something! With compulsory voting you pay the penalty for not voting (a fine), making the statement that you don't believe in the system. But if you choose not to vote in a country such as the US, you just appear too lazy to do anything else but complain. I think this country would take greater leaps forward if the government represented everybody, rather than just those who choose to vote. I doubt there will be any changes in the near future, but the US should eventually make voting a requirement, so the government truly represents the entire country.