Why Are We Back In Iraq?

Am I a moron for being concerned about acts that might lead to voter fraud, disenfranchisement or voter suppression?

Jeff Goldstein at Protein Wisdom thinks so. He is mounting an attack against bloggers like Progressive Blogger Alliance member David Anderson who are concerned about this repulsive flyer which was forwarded to Sierra Club organizer Rosemary Wehnes from Sheila Cochran of AFL-CIO Voter Protection. Mr. Goldstein writes, "My gut tells me this flyer is some sort of intentional parody—either that, or something some delusional leftist thinks actually sounds like the work of a partisan rightwing voter intimidation squad—but I could be wrong. If I am, and if this is actually the work of Republican operatives in the greater Milwaukee area, let me be the first on the right to condemn them. But until then, I’m just going to snicker at whatever moron or morons thinks this cartoon might have an impact on voters either way."

Admittedly, the flyer does seem a bit ridiculous. It's written as if it was sent by the Milkwaukee Black Voters League and it includes such "warnings for election time" as "if you've ever been found guilty of anything, even a traffic violation you can't vote in the Presidential election" and that "if you violate any of these laws you can get ten years in prison and your children will get taken away from you."

But who's to say who might not believe something like this.

Oh, I guess the Bloggers for Bush and unreality say so. In fact, Robert Crawford of Kloognome.com had the following to say on the Protein Wisdom thread: "On the gripping hand, if you really believe what it says, maybe you SHOULDN’T vote."

I'm sorry, Robert Crawford, but even stupid Americans are allowed to vote for or against our stupid occupying commander-in-chief. I think you are stupider than shit but I'm glad we live in a country where you can cast your stupid vote for stupid George W. Bush.

A voter that doesn't speak or read English very well might be dissuaded from voting because of a flyer like this. A voter that is not as politically informed or astute as Mr. Crawford or Mr. Goldstein that has accumulated unpaid traffic tickets might even think twice about going to the polls.

Even if this flyer is a parody, whoever sent it out into the community should be arrested because it is a federal violation to engage in an effort to suppress votes.

Call me a moron, but call me the kind of moron who believes in the United States Constitution and the rights of all Americans to cast their votes.

# posted by Ron Brynaert : 10/30/2004 04:17:00 PM