opinion - editorial
Is requiring voter ID racist and voter suppressive?
BY REV. RUBEN DIAZ SR.
You should know that a Monmouth
National Poll shows that 80% of the
U.S. population favors voter ID laws
and that 70% favor voting in person. It
is important that you know that “The
for the People Act 2021” known as the
(HR1) legislative bill passed in the
House of Representatives. All the Democrats
voted in favor of it, except one.
You should also know that HR1 would
do away with all voter ID law requirements,
among other drastic changes to
our nation’s voting process.
Too often we hear a lot about how
to require voters to present an ID card
at their polling site is a form of voter
suppression. Therefore, requiring a
voter ID is somehow racist because
it’s geared toward preventing people of
color from voting.
Frankly this argument doesn’t hold
water. First, because it implies that
people of color don’t possess ID cards,
and as result cannot exercise their
right to vote. Therefore, a law that requires
the voter to present an ID is racist.
To hear this argument, you would
think that people of color are living
under a rock.
I have often wondered how this is
possible. How are voters ID laws racist?
Upon analyzing this issue, I found
that their argument is in fact quite racist
for the following reasons. First, it
implies that people of color are either
too lazy, or too ignorant to acquire an
ID card. That we, as people of color,
lack the ability to get something as
simple as an ID card or can’t even follow
voter instructions.
Then I asked myself if everyone
is required to show an ID card when
boarding a plane; or when cashing
BRONX TIMES R 12 EPORTER, NOV. 5-11, 2021 BTR
a check; or when applying for a bank
loan; or when driving a car; or when
opening a bank account; or when entering
a government building; or when
registering at a college; or going into
a hospital or clinic; or even to enter a
restaurant to have a decent meal we
are required to show an ID that proves
we have been vaccinated otherwise we
are not allowed to eat, and we must go
hungry.
Then why is it that having to show
an identifi cation card for everything
in our society is not racist, but when
it comes to something as important as
our elections, suddenly, having to present
an ID, the card is racist. Why is
that?
I’m sure you know that voters ID
laws are vital to the integrity of our
election (voting) process. Every free
country has some form of election ID
requirements. Even in third world, underdeveloped
countries the people are
required to present some form of voter
ID. In Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic,
Mexico, Honduras, and other Spanish
speaking Countries its citizenry
waits in line to cast their votes proudly
and patriotically show off their voter
ID cards and in those countries the percentage
of voters are twice higher than
here in the United States. This proves
that ID cards does not prevent people
from voting.
If we don’t mind having voters ID
laws in our country of origin, why
would we take issue with having to do
the same in America. Voting is not only
a right, but also a privilege for all its citizens,
be they Black, Brown, or White.
Our voting rights and its process must
be protected, and not undermined. We
should all take offense when we (people
of color) are used as pawns to prevent
the enactment of voter ID laws. Protecting
the integrity of our elections should
be a bi-partisan issue. This is not a Republican,
or Democrat issue, it is an
American Constitutional issue.
You should know that voter suppression
does, in fact, exist. But it exists
in our leader’s failure to require
that all voters show their identifi cation
cards when voting. Failure to do
so leaves amble room for voter fraud,
and it nullifi es the votes that are cast
legitimately by the U.S. Citizens.
So, my analysis of this racist argument
has led me to this conclusion.
Those who oppose voter ID cards, seriously
believe that people of color are
too ignorant to acquire something as
simple as an ID card. This is incredibly
insulting, and we should all be offended
by it. Or the argument of voter
suppression, racism, and people of
color are being used as pawns to cover
up intentions of voter fraud, thereby
suppressing and nullifying all our
votes.
Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr., is a NYC Councilman
representing District 18 in the
Bronx.
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