Voting laws, stirring up trouble

Originally published on TheNextGreatGeneration.com, August 2011

New laws requiring photo identification to vote are springing up throughout the country, prohibiting people without access to the imposed IDs from participating in local, state, and federal elections. Many differ in terms of what exactly is accepted, some have not gone into effect yet, and states without voter ID legislation have proponents pushing to join in on the fun.

 

Needless to say, some people are pissed. 

 

There are currently 16 states that require voters to show some form of identification, such as a bill with the voter’s name and address – although photo IDs have not yet been mandated. Seven states (AL, FL, HI, ID, LA, MI, SD) ask voters to present photo IDs at the polls, although if they are unable to, other forms of identification that meet certain criteria are accepted. Seven stringent states (GA, IN, KS, WI, TN, TX) have strict photo ID laws, and although they are only currently effective in two states, they are expected to go into effect by the 2012 election. How convenient for lovers of the legislation, who argue that voter impersonation is the fundamental issue driving the need for new measures.

 

Now is when I’ll mention that there have been more U.F.O sightings in the past decade than claims of voter fraud in Kansas. In Indiana, there have never been instances of impostors at the polls – not one fraud case. Widespread voter impersonation in America does not really exist – and possibly unbeknownst to proponents of voter ID laws making these allegations – there is widespread evidence to prove it.

 

Opponents of voter ID legislation say the laws are discriminatory toward minorities, students, low-income individuals, voters with disabilities and the elderly, among others. Adversaries stress the consequential effect on elections, making the results unfair and essentially meaningless – more so for left-leaning candidates.

 

Those in favor of mandating photo IDs for voters have their reasons. But honestly – and this is not just because I myself am left leaning – the reasons are pretty silly. In Mark Hemingway’s article defending photo ID legislation, he stated that earlier this year, ACORN, a now non-existent political advocacy group, plead guilty to voter registration fraud in Nevada (Fox News is the source cited). Hemingway also took the liberty of including an “exhaustive” list of ACORN employees whose shady voter registration practices have been listed since 1998 (Rottenacorn.com is the source cited on this one – biased much?) – resulting in “dozens of arrests and convictions.”

 

Funny, the words “exhaustive” and “dozens” aren’t really synonymous in my eyes, but what do I know? I only just graduated college, and according to conservative writer Doug Mataconis, college students should not be allowed to use a student ID to register to vote because “Allowing them to use student ID to register to vote would be akin to giving them the opportunity to vote twice in two different locations.” Twice in two different locations? Really? You do realize that college students are part of the same generation that is constantly deemed lazy, never-voters-unless-it’s-a-cool-young-black-candidate types?

 

So far, students at state universities in WI cannot use student IDs to vote because new law requires IDs to have signatures on them.  South Carolina and Texas prohibit the use of student IDs altogether.

 

But Texas allows voting by those who have a license to carry a concealed handgun.

 

As for proponents of photo ID legislation who say with insincere passion that there is no way – and they mean no way – that the laws are discriminatory against ethnic groups, try this on for size: as many as 25 percent of African Americans lack acceptable government-issued identification. Eight percent of their white counterparts lack the identification. Six million Americans aged over 65 do not possess the acceptable government-issued identification (totaling to 18 percent of senior citizens) either. But in no way – and they mean no way – is this legislation discriminatory.

 

Altogether, more than 21 million American citizens do not possess government-issued photo IDs. That’s 11 percent of the population that will be turned away from the polls this election season. So much for the fundamental right to vote. So much for the 1st, 14th, 15th, 19th, 24th and 26^th amendments – all of which protect voting rights.

 

But at least we can take comfort in knowing that if you own a gun, you have a voice in America.

 

Staff Editorials

Suffolk Journal, Oct. 13, 2011

October is LGBTQ Pride Month, so we at the Journal are extremely confused as to why such negative news has been affecting the gay community lately. This is supposed to be a month of celebrating diversity and aspiring for equality, but recent events have seemed to diminish both of those intentions.

Let’s consider those who are desperately trying to push the Gay Rights Movement backward. There are the straight-up haters of all that is different. They call themselves conservative, but in reality, they’re no better than the worst of all bigots – the kind of people who would make Hitler proud and giggly.

There are also the hypocrites who preach equal rights for all, but really only mean for some. These are people who pledge their allegiance to a nation supposedly filled with liberty and justice for all. Again, this is another fallacy when considering that the U.S. government does not actually support equal rights for all (see Prop 8 and “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”).

The Fourth Annual Rammy Awards takes it to the next level

originally published in The Suffolk Journal, April 21, 2011

Suffolk students and faculty sat side by side in a packed Modern Theatre and enjoyed a night of visual arts at the Rammy Awards, which took place April 14.  Now in its fourth year, the Rammy Awards were created to recognize and celebrate Communication and Journalism Department students who have excelled in visual media, establishing a Suffolk tradition that will hopefully motivate students to further share their work and pursue their goals in film and photography.

Freedom veiled for the burqa

originally published in The Suffolk Journal, April 21, 2011

On April 11, France implemented a ban on the burqa, the Islamic face-covering veils sometimes worn by women that covers them from head to toe – a measure that has gathered a great deal of controversy among the Muslim community and non-Muslims alike.

A cappella unites voices

originally published in The Suffolk Journal, April 13, 2011

The Suffolk Ramifications recently performed at the C. Walsh Theater as part of Suffolk’s annual A Cappella Festival, a night that was marked by song, dance, and the use of voice over instruments. Presented by the Performing Arts Office at Suffolk University, the festival featured several a cappella groups from around the Boston area, all of which participated after being invited by The Ramifications.

“It’s something that we do every year; it’s just a nice way to include other Boston schools in our shows,” said Suffolk senior Kayla Hopkins, student music director for The Ramifications. “We [also] perform at other schools in Boston and out of Boston events. We just try to get anyone we know to come perform with us.”

Getting to know Greek

originally published in The Suffolk Journal, April 13, 2011

They’re different from the rest in that they don’t try to perpetuate stereotypes – no jerks, snobs, or party-inducing projectile vomit. They’re relatively new and they have big plans for Suffolk and the Beacon Hill community. They want to be unique, and the community service and philanthropic work they do shows it. Introducing Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Theta Phi Alpha: Suffolk University’s very own fraternity and sorority.

Relief effort stands for Japan

originally published in The Suffolk Journal, April 7, 2011

Suffolk students showed their support for Japan on April 5 in the opening ceremony for Stand for Japan, a Suffolk University relief effort presented by the Office of Diversity Services. The kickoff was part of Asian American Heritage Month, a four-week celebration of Asian culture and pride, and now because of the tragedy that struck Japan on March 11, April will be a month devoted to raising donations to aid the nation in need.

Three Suffolk students affected by the events in Japan spoke, including Ezra Polland, who was studying abroad and teaching English in central Tokyo when the earthquake struck. Although the tsunami did not hit central Tokyo, where he was living, the tremors from the earthquake were enough to cause panic and fear throughout the city.

“It’s the sort of thing where you’re worried about yourself, but you’re more worried about people in worse peril,” Polland told those in attendance.