I have absolutely NO doubt that some readers of this blog post will be upset, angry, perhaps livid (all over-reactions, IMO) and - truthfully - that will not bother me in the least. Why? Because this blog is about MY personal take on the topics. I read, I research, I form my own beliefs based on what I've read and learned. Sometimes, when opposing ideas are shared thoughtfully with evidentiary backing, I have changed my mind (stop laughing .. it has happened!). Having said that, I introduce today's topic ...
VOTING IN THE U.S.A.
Voting in the United States has always been contentious. Here's a brief rundown to give you an idea of this country's voting rights history.
- 1700s: Voting was limited to white land owners
- 1800s: Following the Civil War, the 15th Amendment to the Constitution was passed stating the right to vote couldn't be denied due to race
- 1920s: The 19th Amendment to the Constitution gave women the right to vote
- 1960s: Passing of the Voting Rights Act that meant abolishing voter suppression practices previously used by many states to keep a wide variety of peoples from being to vote; abolishing poll taxes (yes, you had to pay to vote)
- 1970s: Lowering the legal voting age from 21 to 18; expanding the Voting Rights Act to allow ballots in in more languages than just English
- 1980s: Voting Rights Act extended and included provisions for those with disabilities to be able to vote
- 1990s: "Motor Voter" allowed you to register to vote when you applied for a drivers license
- 2000s: Typical punch card ballots begin to show evidence of everything from faulty equipment to election fraud; streamlining election reform swept the country to include improved voting equipment, voter registration lists and more; reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act followed by a hefty gutting of said Act; and, well, there's too much more to list here
Suffice it to say that an individual's right to vote has been a point of contention since the U.S.A. started forming "a more perfect union." (That's in the preamble of the Constitution.)
Is Citizenship a Requirement to Vote?
Initially, citizenship was not a requirement to vote in the United States. By 1924, all states had implemented the requirement of citizenship, however. In 1996, Congress made it illegal for non-citizens to vote and added a five year prison sentence if caught for doing so. Now? Well, now there is still substantial debate on this in Washington, D.C. with the SAVE Act and, well, so much more. Guess we'll have to wait and see what happens there.
This got me wondering, though, if any other democratic country in the world allows non-citizens to vote in their elections. I'm not talking about expatriates or emigrants. I'm specifically referring to people that have left their home country and migrated to another without going through the necessary steps to gain citizenship in their new country. I'm talking about illegal immigration. From my research, no other country allows illegal immigrant voting. They require voter ID and they don't allow mail-in ballots.
Naturally, I had to wonder why anyone would be okay with that here, in the United States of America.
But "What About the Statue of Liberty" and "What About the Bible?"
Stop right there.
As for the Statue of Liberty, I know how the poem goes. I probably had ancestors come through Ellis Island. Her poem, though, is just that ... a poem. It's a beautiful poem, but it isn't our Constitution or the Bill of Rights. It isn't the law of the land. And it has NOTHING to do with voting legally here.
The French gifted us the statue in the late 1800s, but did you know the U.S. fought a brief war with them in 1798? Kind of a love-hate thing going on there.
As for the Bible, it advocates for love, compassion, mercy of "thy neighbors." Take Matthew 25:35 for example. "Jesus says, for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in." Yet, as is often the case, many people have chosen just the verses that make them seem holy.
Another New Testament verse, 1 Peter 2:13-16, reads, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human authority: whether the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God's slaves."
These are just a couple picked from several verses that support love and care along with following the law givers. When it comes to the Bible, or any holy text, you either believe it all or you don't. Picking and choosing the verses that make your stance seemingly more right, holy or righteous, makes you none of those.
Note, please, that NEITHER of those verses - or any verse in the Bible - say that illegal immigration is without consequence and NEITHER have anything to do with voting!
My Stance
This is easy. You want to have a say in what happens in this country? Come to the United States of America legally. Come to a country that my friends, family, neighbors and others have fought to defend for generations. Do it the right way and I'll gladly support your right to vote your conscience.
Come here illegally and take advantage of "freebies" one administration promised and you have absolutely NO right to vote for anything or anyone here.
If you're an illegal immigrant, I can almost guarantee that your home country, assuming it has elections by the people, doesn't allow non-citizenship voting. Stop and think about it ... if any country does, there is most likely an underhanded reason that needs to be squelched.
Final Words
You want to advocate for illegal immigration at the expense of legal citizens? You want to allow illegal immigrants the right to vote for topics and people that they have no vested interest in? You want to prioritize illegal immigrant needs over the needs of legal citizens? That is your right because you are (I hope) a U.S. citizen with all the rights and privileges that go with that.
However, I will NEVER agree with that opinion. I will always prioritize legal citizenship rights. I will always advocate for voting your conscience. I will always advocate that people 18 and over take part in making their voice heard when it comes to candidates and topics on deck during any election.
If you are a legal citizen and choose not to exercise your voting rights, which is your privilege, then I'd encourage you to keep your complaints to yourself. You didn't make your choice known when it mattered, so no need to make it known after the fact.
Being angry at politicians is just part of living in a democracy. As a legal voting member of society, you'll get a chance to help make changes every couple of years. However, being so angry that all you can do is denigrate those in office, and advocate for violence as the best way to handle a situation - that's not okay. If you hate the way the United States - or even the state where you live - is being run so much, then perhaps there's another country around the world that you'd appreciate more.