Thursday, 30 October 2008
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Okay, Now I am Mad
A dear friend just called me and told me about a news story she thought I might want to blog about. She was oh so correct.
Click here for the entire story. I am going to summarize it to the best of my ability.
In the state of California, members of the Republican Party have requested an investigation into the voting procedures of a group of mentally disabled people in a group home. Ten members of the Thumbs up! adult care center have voted via absentee ballots under the guidance of the director, David Simerley. Of those ten, the majority cast a vote for Barack Obama. One of the parent's has suggested his son was coerced into voting in this manner. The man in question is fifty six, but has the mental capacity of a five year old according to his father. Each person involved has said that they were in no way coerced into voting one way or another. It was also reported that Mr. Simerley took the group on a field trip to both parties headquarters prior to the men completing their ballots.
Apparently the county this occurred in is considered to be a Republican county and most of the men voted Democratic. Had the votes gone primarily Republican, would we be having the same investigation? I think not.
Having said that, I am not taking a political side. I am taking the side of a mother of a disabled child that will someday be given the right to cast her vote in major elections. How she makes her decision whether it is because she likes one candidates hair over the other one, or she understands fully the platform they are supporting, is of no concern of mine. She has the right to cast her vote and have that vote upheld. I find it appalling that these people in power are questioning the decisions of a group simply because they are mentally disabled. Not a single person that voted was considered incompetent. The man whose father is raising the questions has said he was proud to have voted. It is every adults fundamental right unless they are prohibited by law for a crime or are declared mentally incompetent.
I know many fully functional adults that are clueless on many of the issues that are involved in this election. Should they not have the right to vote as well? Are the ones that are saying they will be making their decision by the flip of a coin somehow better than those that must be aided when filling out the forms?
These men went far beyond what most of the general public does. I for one have never visited either parties headquarters or sat down as a group and had a discussion about each issue that is involved. I talk to my husband and my friends. I at this moment am still undecided about which way my vote will fall.
I say kudos to the director. He opened up a dialogue and helped these men become informed. Shame on the Republican Party for discounting these people and their choices. These men did something that far too many in the US do not do; they voted. Instead of questioning them, we should be congratulating them for a job well done.
My daughter will be of the age to vote someday. I would like to see anyone try and tell her that her voice will not be heard. I can promise you, she will not sit quietly by and allow that to happen. The disabled have just as much right to vote as the rest of the people.
Rant over...thank you.
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Comments (7)
(check your URL, there's an extra "http" in there.)
@TornadoChaser - Thanks for the heads up. I will change it. Nope, apparently this is the only thing to do a week prior to the election.
I am appalled that who they have voted for has been announced to the world! What happened to secret ballot in this country to prevent scare tactics!??!
There are so many other things I could say... but it would just make me more angry. I hope those people have someone to stand up for them so that no one attempts to take their right to vote away!
that is so ridiculous what they are doing
@der_lila_Stern@xanga - I was so angry at the thought of them questioning their votes that I didn't even think about how it had become public knowledge in the first place. Now I am really mad. LOL
I should always wait an hour after ranting before actually posting. I went back and edited my typos.
Ugh, I am upset.
Hie, I came by via your comment on my Revelife post. Firstly, I want to say that your daughter is adorable - no kidding. That profile picture makes me want to tear up because she's so precious. Secondly, I apologise if that part where I said "God forbid" was offensive - I had no intentions whatsoever in offending anyone, especially a mother such as yourself. Thirdly, if I were you, I'd also be upset if I were you about the voting thing. It makes me upset too when I hear about how someone makes a decision for someone else just coz the other person has a disability. Thank you for posting this. (I'm not American, so I only get to read the news that CNN and BBC broadcast, and not so much the smaller pieces of news.)
God bless you and your daughter, and your family,
Addy
@VersaGratis@xanga - Thank you for the kind words. We find Emily adorable as well. Also, I was in no way offended by your comment. Trust me, before Emily entered our lives, we often felt the same way about parents with a special child. I just want people to understand that our babies might be "different", but to us, they are just our babies.
I enjoyed your post greatly. I appreciate you taking the time to comment, but don't feel as though you said anything wrong. I look forward to reading more of your posts.