I was speaking to an Icon in the immigrant’s right’s community, Petra Falcon, last night. She told me about an early voter registration campaign she worked on when she was a young activist.
Petra said there was an old man in a wheelchair who she had registered early in the season. She was checking to see if he got his voter registration ballot in the mail. He hadn’t! Petra called the voter registration people and in her quiet way put some heat into their running shoes. By the end of the day they had a special team out and sure enough, the poor man in the wheel chair got to vote!
Petra is a hero to me. She took extra time to check up on an elderly person because she wanted everyone to have a chance to vote, including a disabled grandfather who wanted to be part of the American Dream. For many years the the playing field has not been fair for many of the people who live in the United States of America. The idea is that finally we give all people a voice by allowing legal citizens to vote, even if they are new citizens. That especially applies to the immigrant community.
Voting sounds like it is simple Simon. But where? When? You mean you have to sign up by October 3rd in order to vote in November? What is an early ballot? Why do you have to register to vote? What documents are required to register?
A democratic nation requires the citizens who live in it to be represented. Majority rules is hard to swallow when the majority rules against you. It becomes almost impossible to swallow when you don’t even get your say or your vote! Our notion of democracy requires fair play, not just for one class of people but for all people wherever situated.
Voter registration work takes long hard hours. There is plenty of rejection. Having an inspiration like Petra keeps me rooted in why this work is so important, and why having the phone slammed in my ear or a door slammed in my face is no sweat! I already have two older Latina ladies who can’t see and will need help getting through the voting process. I would like to be there for them just as Petra has been there for others in the past and for us today!
Between 12 and 20 million illegal immigrants live in the United States, the exact number is unknown. NONE PAY INCOME TAXES!!!
ReplyDeletethe state of arizona and the people of the united states don't owe you a thing. when you become a illegal citizen and learn to speak english you will be accepted by others with this nation. until then, you and your children can expect the full fury from the citizens of the united states.