AFS Cinema
Voter Access Under Fire
RECEIVED Mon., April 11, 2011
Dear Editor,
How do you feel about attempts to curtail access to voting? If the opposing political party does so, let’s have investigations and Senate hearings. But if your own party does it? It has always been done, of course, but lately it seems to be experiencing an upswing; it seems to be the main focus, the main method by which political parties try to get their candidates into office. The attempts to take out the unions and insist upon voter IDs are the most recent examples, but over the years, we’ve had gerrymandering, suspect voting machines, police blocking voting stations, threats of prosecution, mail campaigns sending false information, and voting officials engaging in questionable activities. Not to worry, though, our politicians assure us these activities are not taking place or explain that they are in the best interest of our country. Though we can see through these explanations, news people fail to call them on it lest they lose their access. Again, I ask, how do you feel about attempts to curtail access to voting? Is it OK to you, in an “all’s fair in a politician’s attempt to gain office” sort of way? Or (not to lead you to my way of thinking, he lied) does it not somehow seem to betray the principles on which this country was founded? Even more, I might suggest, if politicians lie about their opposition, say things about them that they know to be untrue, they further curtail, usurp, the electoral process. Do you believe in curtailing the right to vote? Do you think elections should be fair, open, and honest? That politicians should be elected based on a tally of all votes cast by everyone who wants to vote? Or do you believe that, since you side with the politicians with whom you agree, that they should use any method, however unethical, to get themselves elected? Do you believe in the principles upon which this country was founded? Do you believe in the American way? Do you believe in democracy? Democracy is crazy; freedom is ugly. They used to tell us hippies, when we spoke out about the things with which we disagreed, that if we didn’t love America, then we should “love it or leave it.” Now it’s your turn. You have the right to speak your mind, but so does everyone else. If you don’t like that fact, that’s totally your choice, but love it or leave it, dude. Democracy is everyone having a voice, even if it’s just a vote. Rock & roll.
How do you feel about attempts to curtail access to voting? If the opposing political party does so, let’s have investigations and Senate hearings. But if your own party does it? It has always been done, of course, but lately it seems to be experiencing an upswing; it seems to be the main focus, the main method by which political parties try to get their candidates into office. The attempts to take out the unions and insist upon voter IDs are the most recent examples, but over the years, we’ve had gerrymandering, suspect voting machines, police blocking voting stations, threats of prosecution, mail campaigns sending false information, and voting officials engaging in questionable activities. Not to worry, though, our politicians assure us these activities are not taking place or explain that they are in the best interest of our country. Though we can see through these explanations, news people fail to call them on it lest they lose their access. Again, I ask, how do you feel about attempts to curtail access to voting? Is it OK to you, in an “all’s fair in a politician’s attempt to gain office” sort of way? Or (not to lead you to my way of thinking, he lied) does it not somehow seem to betray the principles on which this country was founded? Even more, I might suggest, if politicians lie about their opposition, say things about them that they know to be untrue, they further curtail, usurp, the electoral process. Do you believe in curtailing the right to vote? Do you think elections should be fair, open, and honest? That politicians should be elected based on a tally of all votes cast by everyone who wants to vote? Or do you believe that, since you side with the politicians with whom you agree, that they should use any method, however unethical, to get themselves elected? Do you believe in the principles upon which this country was founded? Do you believe in the American way? Do you believe in democracy? Democracy is crazy; freedom is ugly. They used to tell us hippies, when we spoke out about the things with which we disagreed, that if we didn’t love America, then we should “love it or leave it.” Now it’s your turn. You have the right to speak your mind, but so does everyone else. If you don’t like that fact, that’s totally your choice, but love it or leave it, dude. Democracy is everyone having a voice, even if it’s just a vote. Rock & roll.
Peace,
Tom Lay
Tom Lay