246 Comments

Why are we still comfortable with voting on good, right, character, justice, humanity, dignity, inclusion and morality?

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Yet; n 2022, America weild out of our inner city curriculum civic engagement, civic responsibility and civic duties? There is no such thing as a democracy until America get it right where our inner city students are concerned.

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Thank you for this column. I am very concerned about voting suppression in Texas.

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Deadly voter intimidation has always happened. Now it's not only happening to POC and women, it's happening to anyone who might vote for Democrats. I early voted in a red county. No one will stop me from exercising my right to vote in any and all elections ... for as long as I live. Too many were brutalized and died, like Medgar Evers to ever allow me to sit any election out.

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Thank you, Dan, for your voice, then and now.

I am profoundly afraid of what the results of the upcoming election will be. I fear we are, as a country, slipping over the edge and will not be able to claw ourselves back to sanity.

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I went to Early Voting yesterday in Comal County, Texas. The number of Early Voting polling places has been reduced and there were only 9 voting machines in the building, so there was a long line. The clerk tending the door said the line had been pretty steady since EV started on Monday. The majority of the people in line looked to be over 65, which meant they could have voted by mail. What with the changes in the laws last year to voting by mail, it seemed more people thought it would be better to vote in person. The line took only about 20 minutes, but was outside and cold with the north wind blowing. It was on a porch, out of any rain, though that had passed by the time I got there just before lunch time. In previous years, if there was a line, it was allowed inside the building. A pick-up with a sign on the tailgate (very large, about half the size of the tailgate) was parked with the tailgate facing the line. And it was still there when I left after voting. The sign was a silhouette of an automatic weapon with large words over the top which said, "No Joe." Underneath it said something like, Save Our Country in smaller script. Intimidation comes in all forms.

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It is indeed a dire threat to democracy. It needs to be stopped. I have clear memories of the 1950s and all they meant for different people. I refuse to go back and I refuse to let my country go back.

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Shocking indeed and aptly paired with the photo of men in fatigues and guns in Arizona at a polling location.

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Why is A Majority of the United States Filled with such Hate?. This isn't How its suppose to be! We are a United Country and We are suppose to be Helping Each Other! Not hurting Each Other!! Where did Everyone lose their minds?! Seriously, I have been watching from a Distance and God has too. Do you think this is the right thing to be doing?. Hurting Each Other? And for What? Think about it and you Let me know, Because I'm so baffled right now seeing what the world is turning into!

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Oct 28, 2022·edited Oct 28, 2022

Thank you for reminding me of this event in all-too-recent American history. I was 11 years old when Medgar Evers was assassinated, and it is my earliest conscious memory of the Civil Rights Era. Growing up in severely racist and redlined Portland, Oregon, I had, until that time, had almost no exposure to African Americans. I had no idea that this sort of tension and animosity against black people existed. I immediately became sickened by the injustice and ugliness of it, and at my young age, and on through my developmental years, I did all I could to support the end of Jim Crow and the full and unfettered admission of all people of all backgrounds into the American Dream. I never have done enough.

I later found out that both my grandfathers had been Klansmen in their youths, but thankfully, my parents rejected that mindset, and never once did I pick up any sense from them that white people were somehow better than blacks. In fact, when her father remarked, while driving through Colony, Kansas, her hometown, many years later, "You can be proud we never let the sun go down on a n....r in this town," my Mom shot back angrily, "I'm not proud of that! I'm ashamed of it!"

How tragic that in spite of Mr. Evers' martyrdom, and that of so many others in the name not only of political rights, but to be given equal status as human beings, we still have large swaths of Americans who hold the attitudes of my grandfather and that election official in Jackson, Mississippi. This upcoming midterm election, for me, has symbolic importance equal to a sacred call. May it be the death knell for this aspect of America, once and for all. For surely, if we don't stand up and defeat this ugly and evil shadow of the American psyche, we no longer deserve the freedom and democracy, and dignity, to which we have paid lip service for so long.

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Thank you for giving us a larger, personal perspective of voter intimidation. I have never previously seen it where I have lived my entire life, in Arizona. I know this state as accepting and encouraging of diverse people. The people behind the armed intimidation of drop boxes in Maricopa County undoubtedly came from out of state. They are not products of this state. The most notable election deniers running for office in Arizona came to Arizona as adults

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Thank you. Posted to socials. A must-read.

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Thank you for bringing the needed context to this story Mr. Rather, as only you could.

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The point I think is that politicians have stoked the embers of racism to control the vote and in doing so have undone the right that all men are created equal

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In WW2 the Nazis dressed as Polish Soldiers, and attacked and destroyed one of their own radio stations! That week, Germany declared war on Poland!! The democrats are the biggest LIE posed on the American People and have shown their true colors as TRAITORS!!! The only threat to FREEDOM that the Republicans are is to the TRAITORS in the Demoncratic Party now because they will soon go to prison for their TREASON!!!!!

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This is absolutely terrifying because so many people just don't think suppressing the right to vote is a big deal.

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