A More Sacred Right?

Journeys across Big Sky Country are most often made by car. Lots of windshield time and lots of time to think, contemplate.

On one such drive recently, it occurred to me that the failed efforts the Republican Party to challenge the registration of over 6,000 registered voters suggest that the GOP feels that some rights are less sacred than others.

Take the right to bear arms. Spelled out in both the United States and Montana Constitutions. If anyone dares to suggest initiatives related to firearms, such as the largely unregulated purchase of firearms at gun shows, all hell breaks loose. Everyone, including those who do not even own a firearm or who do not frequent Saturday afternoon gun bazaars, are ready for a fight and want to take dead aim [unfortunately, literally] on the initiator.

The outrage becomes the centerpiece of political campaigns. “What EXACTLY is your position on the Second Amendment?”

In unison, the refrain is, “enforce the laws we have. If someone violates the law, throw the book at ‘em. When our guns are taken away only criminals will have guns."

In other words: Don’t even suggest that the right to pack be messed with.

What is it? ‘You can you have my gun only if you “pry it from my cold, dirt-covered, lifeless fingers.”’

The right to vote, another fundamental right in our system of government, is seemingly a different matter altogether.

Voting and voting rights in our country has a ragged history. We’ve been told wars were waged to protect the right to vote, although obstacles of every sort were erected to allow just a few ['landed gentlemen' they were called] to vote. Grudgingly, the barriers came down - - - poll taxes were abolished, women and people of color, and even those who are eighteen years of age, were enfranchised. Here again blood was spilled, in most cases on our own soil and in our streets, to secure this right.

All of us want of elections to be decided by only those legally eligible to vote. If there are violations of the law, why not use the laws in place to deal with voter fraud?

But, no, no. Even though there were no documented instances of votes being cast illegally, the 2003 Montana Legislature, which was controlled by Republicans, created something called ‘provisional ballots.’ If you fall into a certain category [such as being challenged] or you do not have a picture ID when you appear to vote, you can cast a provisional ballot. You then must remedy whatever deficiency within an allotted time and your ballot becomes a real ballot and is counted. Failing to do so renders your ballot void. Kaput. Nada. Nyet.

Without the recent federal court ruling stopping the bald-faced voter suppression, more than 6,000 voters [most of whom were more than likely Democrats] would have had to provide documentation as to their addresses prior to voting or been forced to cast provisional ballots. [Perhaps this is the electoral equivalent of a ‘cooling off period.’]

Did those Montanans whose voter registration was not being challenged express outrage? Nope.

Was anyone angry about the amount of the inconvenience to ‘fix’ the so-called problem and the irrefutable evidence that nearly 90 percent of all provisional ballots cast are never counted? Well, no.

Did those who only occasionally and selectively to vote for, say, candidates who support ‘gun rights’ mobilize and speak out for fear that they might be next to have their registration challenged? Why, no. [Oh, that’s right, according to the Department of Homeland Security, the threat (fear) level is only at orange - - - when it gets to red, watch this bunch leap into the voter registration fray.]

Did our lazy-ass media ask the candidates for Attorney General where they stand on the right to vote? Well, golly, no.

So, let’s see, the way the world is ordered, I should be able to obtain a firearm under any circumstance, preferably totally free of government interference.

But, when it comes to my vote, I may need to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt to an elections bureaucrat that I am eligible to participate because someone of Jake Eaton’s ilk challenged me?

Maybe I should ask Jake and Erik Iverson to attend a weekend gun bonanza with me and challenge the credentials of 6,000 attendees who are there to purchase their very own piece and “amanition” free of “govmint regalation” and certainly no damned inconvenient waiting period.

Heck, Erik might even fluff himself up and tell them gun enthusiasts they had better behave or else he’ll challenge their right to vote.