thirtyoneblog

I’m not really sure why I felt compelled to blog about this particular issue, because it’s not one that I’m unusually fired up about as an issue unto itself, but the situation is just such nonsense that I found myself with some things to say about it.

The Texas legislature is, as we speak, about to close without taking action on a bill requiring voters to show ID at the polls. Now first and foremost, the idea that a person shouldn’t have to prove they are who they say they are, to cast the vote they’re entitled to, is just insane. Who wouldn’t want such proof, unless they are in fact part of some voter fraud? Who wouldn’t want voters to prove their identification unless they feel they would lose votes from people who had something to hide and thus didn’t want to show ID? This is just asinine. You have to show ID to rent a movie at Blockbuster, or to get on an airplane, or to write a check. Why is no one complaining about that? Proving one’s identification is just part of living in this society. If you want to participate in an activity that requires ID, then you get one.

Requiring voters to show ID is not discriminatory. It’s organized. It’s fair. It’s part of an honest and aboveboard voting process. You prove you are who you say you are, and then you get to vote. A person can register to vote online, or by mail. How then does it ever get proved that the person who registered is the person standing at the polls?

But what really gets to me is that the Dems, to avoid having action taken on this bill, are stalling in the House and piddling away the time on insignificant minor legislation until the session is over and it’s too late to take action on this bill. That proves to me that they know the bill makes sense and they know it has wide support and would pass. What a waste! This is what these people call representing the constituents? Monkeying around to avoid doing the actual work they were elected to do? Talk about ridiculous! This reminds me of the time half the House fled to Oklahoma to kill the quorum and avoid taking action on a redistricting bill. What a cop out and a total embarrassment to the party and the state.

I can understand having differences of opinion on issues. I can understand someone thinking choice is to be valued over life, or someone thinking that socialist redistribution of wealth is what is fair and just. I totally disagree with these views, but I can appreciate that in the purest form, these are differences of opinion and we are all entitled to that. What I cannot understand is using stalling tactics to avoid doing your job. Bring the bill to the floor, take a vote, and whatever the outcome, accept it as the result of a system of democracy. Otherwise, go on home, and let someone who will actually do the job, take your seat in the House.

I was reading a blog post by my friend Stephen the other day. He was talking about how he had heard a radio ad for Six Flags that was quite disturbing. Basically the ad was about a discussion between a couple about season passes to Six Flags and the man’s excuses about why he had yet to buy them. The woman (wife? we don’t know) responded that if he didn’t get the season fun passes then he wouldn’t be enjoying any other kind of fun “if you know what I mean.”

Now while I think that is pretty crass (and what does the whole thing have to do with Six Flags anyway?), I was actually not quite as disturbed by it as Stephen was. Then again, the ad came on the radio while he was in the car with his child, which will make you notice this stuff all the more. I would have probably said, “good grief, that is pretty ridiculous” and then gone on about my day. That being said, it’s clearly, well, inappropriate.

But what I really got to thinking about was how I have not heard a peep about this ad campaign around my church, or in the news, or really any talk about it at all. If I had not read Stephen’s blog I would have had no idea.

Meanwhile, of course, Six Flags has obtained a permit to sell alcohol in the park. To hear some talk you would think this was a sign of the apocalypse. People spoke at the hearings. Letters were written to the newspaper and to local politicians. Churches drafted petitions (Mine did – I declined to sign it). Now I do want to say that I don’t have any particular interest in consuming alcohol at Six Flags. That’s not to say I don’t drink, because I do, but I can’t imagine having interest in drinking at that particular venue. However, I fail to see how this is such a tragedy and apparently the end of a “family” environment. Beer is sold at the State Fair. How is that different? It is sold at numerous restaurants. Do these people not take their families to eat there? As one comment to the newspaper said, “I drink beer at home. Is that not a family environment?” Well said.

I have to wonder why no one in the church-going community has gone on a rampage against Six Flags for their innuendo-driven advertising. If you ask me, casual attitudes about sex are a far greater danger to our children than observing someone having a drink that happens to contain alcohol. It’s just so remarkable how the church gets up in arms about certain issues (notably alcohol) but is silent on others that are so much more important.