No English, no vote?
There's an old story about the black citizen who shows up at a Mississippi clerk's office in the 1960s to register to vote. He's told that's fine, but he must first pass a literacy test.
The clerk hands him a piece of paper with something written on it -- in Greek.
"Well, can you read that and tell me what it says?" the clerk asks.
"Yes, I can," the would-be voter says. "It says no black people are going to be voting here in this election."
That came to mind, for some reason, when reading George Will's column today, arguing against bilingual ballots. His argument is that if you can't speak English, you can't possibly know enough about the political debate to make an informed choice and cast a ballot. Sounds like Greek to me.
posted by xoff @ 11:53 AM
9 comments
9 Comments:
Since you can't be a citizen without first knowing English, then knowing English should certainly be a requirement of voting, no?
If you really have trouble with logic, then trying drawing a Venn diagram. Eventually you'll figure it out. I have faith.
Hell if your a liberal you dont care if a person is real just as long as they vote for the Rats. Isnt that right Bill
Since you can't be a citizen without first knowing English
Sure, numbnuts. Draw me a diagram that shows how someone must know English to be born in the U.S.
Fortunately, there is no literacy test for voting wingnut, right, Chris?
Yes, expecting people who live in this country to know English is exactly like not allowing black people to vote. By golly, Xoff, I've think you really outdone yourself this time.
Jeebus. Are you stupid or sumptin? Making English a voting requirement is exactly like not allowing black people to vote. Because it involves denying a certain class of people the right to vote. Duh.
I'd wager most non-English speakers are better informed about politics than, say, the average Bush supporter (if this crowd is any indication, it's a given). For one thing, ethnic minorities have more incentive to keep on top of the latest GOP schemes for screwing them over.
Also, ethnic media is much higher quality than honkyvision, focusing on actual issues instead of celebrity worship disguised as political coverage. The Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Armenian, etc. language papers in Los Angeles, for example, put the LA Times to shame.
Ethnic media is also free of clueless wankers like George Will, which alone adds 25 points to readers' IQ.
Perhaps a literacy test should be requirement. We'd have at least one fewer Republican voting. See below.
"Hell if your a liberal you dont care if a person is real just as long as they vote for the Rats. Isnt that right Bill"
Congratulations, you two have just illustrated why it is the Democrats continue to be the minority party in America: insulting everyone as some sort of illiterate, racist bigot if they don't agree with you.
As opposed to being traitors if we don't agree with you? Get real.
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