Democracy dies because of uninformed voters, misinformation, blind loyalty, and masked intimidation. The idea of a people-controlled government necessitates the populist cast ballots and respect the outcome. Your turn to let democracy win is now. Be an informed, knowledgeable, non-single issue, country before party voter. While every vote is sacred, an uninformed, ignorant vote is dangerous because elections have consequences.
Our system of voting, and our form of government, are more at risk today than ever before. It’s up to us to ensure their survival. The risks are real; ignorance, misinformation, intimidation, gerrymandering, and least of all fraud.
The airwaves and multiplatform media are awash with half-truths, slanderous snippets, blatant lies and a never-ceasing, bot propagated, flood of misinformation. Every minute of every day a new incendiary hoax is proliferated to influence the ignorant and the blind followers. It’s hard to pierce through the noise and find the truth. Remember, hate speech isn’t free speech. Those who want to influence voting don’t want you to research and study. Don’t listen to the ridiculous, the outlandish, or the absurd. Stop funding those individuals and organizations which support them. Defy them, study, and research all the issues and candidates. Reach out to the League of Women Voters, read the Voters Pamphlet, question the nonsense. Educate yourself.
Voter intimidation and political violence is on the rise. A dangerous turn of events which cannot be tolerated. Masked and armed people in military garb are now ‘observing’ Arizona polling stations and ballot boxes. These vigilantes, reminiscent of the masked KKK, are afraid to show their identity yet they photograph the voters. Their presence chills the atmosphere of a free and fair election process and heightens the risk of political violence. In today’s polarized election cycle this could be anywhere, not just Arizona, especially after a Federal Judge refused to stop them. Polling centers and ballot boxes must be free of harassment, direct or implied. So, if your ballot box is being watched, cast your ballot, then turn and smile to their masked, cowardly, faces and give them the appropriate digit enhanced wave they deserve.
Gerrymandered voting districts are fundamentally wrong. Party controlled legislatures are redrawing election boundaries for their own benefit not for fair representation. During the years of Jim Crow Laws extraordinary efforts were made to limit black voters by determining the smallest amount of black heritage would disqualify voters. In a reversal of logic southern Republican legislatures are now determining people must have a high degree of blackness to be deemed as black to be a factor in redistricting. A perfect example of the means justifies the end, holding power no matter how unethical.
Voting integrity is an issue and yes, voter fraud did occur in the 2020 election. The Heritage Foundation, a heralded conservative organization, has documented an unimpressive 1380 proven instances of voter fraud across the country. A fraud rate of less than nine proven fraudulent votes per million cast. After spending almost six million dollars on forensic analysis, Arizona determined blatant, systematic, fraud did not take place. Yes, we have a problem but it’s not voter fraud. It’s the Big Lie and those who continue to propagate and benefit from it.
Our democracy is at our mercy. We have a responsibility to be independent informed voters who will politely and with civility take part in the process. We must not, cannot, be guided by blind loyalty, swayed by the attack ads, or the propagation of lies and inuendoes. Voting districts should be established by independent bipartisan commissions, not biased state legislatures. Our democracy depends on us standing up and being counted as thinking individuals, not manipulated party zombies. #NeverFearTheDream
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simplebender 