[None of the Above raw #49]

Raw footage of Gene Tencza for "None of the Above," a documentary that follows a number of non-voters during the 1996 presidential election and investigates the reasons why they don't vote. Tape 3 of 4 for Tencza.

00:00Copy video clip URL B-roll of park.

02:11Copy video clip URL Tencza and John Callaway continue their conversation outside. Tencza says he doesn’t vote because the system is working well; his vote isn’t really going to make a difference because there’s not much difference between candidates. He calls his vote an act of freedom as opposed to a responsibility.

07:10Copy video clip URL Tencza and Callaway speak of civic responsibilities, and the argument that people died to preserve our freedom. Tencza contends that this doesn’t imply a responsibility to vote, but simply the ability to have the choice to vote.  He claims that some choose not to vote because they’re apathetic or that they’re directly opposing something, but that he is neither.

10:57Copy video clip URL Tencza agrees that voting is an abstract concept that doesn’t have much impact on his life as a concrete, down to earth person.

13:40Copy video clip URL They go back inside and Tencza talks about his hobbies and interests by highlighting the magazines he reads.

23:00Copy video clip URL Tencza speaks about his family history and personal life story. He also comments on the concept of freedom, particularly after visiting Poland. He also speaks of the idea of self-reliance.

37:50Copy video clip URL Tencza comments on race relations, saying that they’re getting worse. He says that Black people “almost want to be more than equal.” He also comments on equality for women, saying that “they want to be treated as equals, but they want us to open the door for them.”

42:00Copy video clip URL Tencza plays his guitar and harmonica.

46:00Copy video clip URL He explains that he likes working on machines like tractors because it gives him a sense of satisfaction to fix things. He claims that he has no heroes, nor can he think of someone he’d like to nominate for president. He also comments on drug use and drug policy.

57:20Copy video clip URL Tencza exhibits a pride in being self-reliant, and calls himself a “Good American,” and says that he doesn’t complain, so he’s justified in not voting.

1:02:39Copy video clip URL End of tape.