Using My Degree…
One more time. I signed up to work in Voter Protection for the Obama/Biden campaign a while back. They had a call for lawyers and paralegals to help with voter protection in swing states, three of which WV borders. I received an e-mail today asking that I work in the Youngstown area of OH, which is about 4 1/2 hours away, depending on how I roll up the Appalachians.
I actually believe I’ve been assigned to the Gallipolis area, which is only about an hour away, but hell, I’ll still go to Youngstown if that’s where I’m needed. The way the early voting is going in WV, perhaps I should stick around here and do voter protection!
I did e-mail the Gov’na and The Secretary of State about the voting issue and received a response from the Election’s Division of the Secretary of State stating that anyone who had contacted them about the problem was able to have their vote cast as they intended and they are working closely with county clerks and the makers of the voting machines to ensure everything is fair and clean with our election.
At least my voice was heard.
My father was always very adamant about his children receiving college degrees. My brother decided to work for his guard unit for a while and then secured a job with a helicopter manufacturer before obtaining his degree in some long-winded something about helicopter mechanics/design/engineering. I obtained both my Associates and Bachelors degrees in Criminal Justice in the Spring and Fall of 1994, respectively.
The best teacher I had at the college was a local lawyer who taught the 2 hour 45 minute Political Science class. I guarantee had Sarah Palin had Professor Woods for Poly Sci, she would have no doubt as to what the position of Vice-President entails. She would know a shit-ton about the Constitution, important Supreme Court cases, and the judicial process.
Professor Woods was also the kind of educator that made you think. He expected participation, he expected you to have an opinion, and he expected you to think critically. Not only were we expected to know the important points of Supreme Court cases like Roe v. Wade and Brown v. Board of Education, he expected you to be able to discuss, dissect, and debate said cases. Rote memorization? Hardly. His 15 page, three hour tests? Infamous.
Even though it has been 14 years, Professor Woods has stuck with me. He opened the door of critical thinking, to look past the surface, to look past sensationalized headlines, and dig deeper and deeper. He taught me to take the source into consideration, the political climate, and my own prejudices and biases.
I find it rather ironic that the person who pushed for my education is the one who shakes his head when we butt heads over politics. I know my father has already voted early for McCain/Palin. I know I’ll vote early for Obama/Biden. My poor mother is still sitting on the fence.
When I left the legal realm after 12 years, my father was displeased. I told him, “You got your money’s worth.” He got his money’s worth from Professor Woods alone, even if he doesn’t like it when I counter his political arguments with ones of my own.
Voting Problems in WV… *Updated
Nothing new here, just a bunch of old school politics that just can’t seem to be routed from the WV political scene.
The Charleston Gazette lead with the story about voters in two counties casting early ballots on voting machines having those votes cast to “McCain” when they touched “Obama” on the screen. More early voters have come forward to attest to this problem. Naturally, our good WV government says, “Everything’s okay, my little lemmings, just follow the others over the cliff.” (The evening paper – The Daily Mail – stuffed the story to page 5.) * More voting problems reported in Martinsburg! IF THE MACHINE YOU USE PICKS THE WRONG CANDIDATE, ASK FOR ASSISTANCE. DON’T GIVE UP UNTIL YOUR VOTE IS CAST CORRECTLY!
Of course, the biggest brouhaha is because the two counties this has happened in are Republican counties and the ones in charge of the election are Republican. However, it shouldn’t matter what county it is, who is in charge, or what political party they are affliated with, everyone should be outraged. What if it were the other way around? Would you McCain supporters want your vote switched to Obama? Certainly not.
But, to say I’m shocked, I just can’t bring myself to say yes. West Virginia has been and perhaps always will be associated with some of the most corrupt politicians this side of New Jersey. For $20 and a pint of whiskey, votes can be bought. Hell, in this economy, $20 would probably do it. Our former governor, Arch Moore (father of current Congressional Representative Shelley Moore Capito), was found guilty of accepting graft and sent off to the Federal Pen for a sojourn. (He was a Republican, by the way.)
An associate of my old boss was also investigated, indicted, and plead guilty to a whole rash of vote tampering, corruption mongering charges and is currently doing time on Uncle Sam’s dime. (He was a Democrat, by the way.)
One would think that our government would attempt to bolster the image of our vastly underrated Appalachian state. Attempt in some way to erase the negative stereotype of toothless, ignorant hillbillies with one leg shorter than the other married to their cousin, spitting out babies, living on welfare in a trailer park in squalor, accepting a 20 and a pint to vote one way or the other.
West Virginia, per capita, has given more of her sons and daughters in the pursuit of freedom and the protection of the American way, than any other state in the union, yet allow those very freedoms to be trampled upon. For once, West Virginia, STAND UP FOR YOURSELVES AND STAND UP FOR YOUR FREEDOMS! HOLD YOUR GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE THAT EVERY VOTE IS CAST CORRECTLY AND EVERY VOTE IS COUNTED AS IT WERE CAST!
It doesn’t matter whether you’re blue, red, black, or white, STAND UP WEST VIRGINIA!
Anything Goes 