yes, i really do hate religion.

[applegoddess]

if my previous post about nonprofit churches wasn't enough, here's more. a (korean!) church that is a polling place felt perfectly fine putting up yes on 8 bullshit. inside a polling place: http://laist.com/2008/11/04/yes_on_8_sign_spotted_at_polling_pl.php

what the fuck is up with that?

Comments

Re: Religion and freedom of speach - round 1

[applegoddess]

You're missing the big point.

If there WAS a no on prop 8 sign hanging so close to a polling place, yes I would have taken it down. On that day, me and my car had absolutely nothing election related on it. Freedom of speech doesn't trump the very specific reasons why there are laws against electioneering. Otherwise, I don't really care. The church can, for all I care, before or after being a polling place, plaster the entire building in and out with yes on 8 signs. But while they are a polling place, they should not be able to put up any such sign..not just yes or no on 8, but anything for obama, mccain, etc.

Also, yes, they should be vetted better beforehand, but people make mistakes. But it seems nobody from the church really cared to help out the poll workers here :P I am also Korean, and insulted by the idea that there was a fellow Korean person who decided the church would make a great polling place but didn't bother to read up on the rules. They can vote yes on 8, they can go protest the no on 8 people, but the line is drawn at electioneering.

I don't know you, so this is a little awkward, but if you knew my personal beliefs, I would be one of the last people to deny someone else those kinds of freedoms. Of course with 8 hitting so close to home, I'm pissed off at the yes on 8 people, but I wouldn't work towards removing their freedom of speech. I just stop frequenting their businesses and keep on supporting organizations working hard to make equal unions a possibility (note I'm not even saying marriage, that's a term religious folk can keep, I just want equal rights) and wonder why the IRS isn't more stricter about what kind of religious organizations can be tax-exempt.

The whole other can of worms you open about who gets to vote and pay taxes I'll leave for another day. Some things in this country just make no sense.

Re: Religion and freedom of speach - round 1

[applegoddess]

There is truth in what you say :)

However (such an annoying word to use) "electioneering" is happening everyday and happens during polling day. You can listen to the radio on the way to the station, watch tv adverts and speachs the day of the election, bumper stickers, sign posts in the lawn, people in line talking to each other about what they believe, exit polls, entry polls, news paper adverts, tv news broadcasters racing to get the latest news about how each state is voting. To truly remove electioneering (awesome word btw) you would need to make sure that on that day and any day that you can vote (absentee ballots) that people are clear of outside influence which should be fun.

I agree with what you say and just pointing out the hypocrisy of worrying about voters being influenced at the last minute. However if you are worried about the votes being tampered with or mis-counted I believe there is a genuine issue and concern about that.

When you let personal get in the way you become as bad as them, them being anyone but yourself :)

-Rick

Ps. Drobo's worked out fine and are rocking and rolling nicely.

Re: Religion and freedom of speach - round 1

[applegoddess]

Sadly, you are right. However, from previous experience, I do know that exit/entry polls and interviews require a minimum distance from the polling place (regular filming has no such restrictions) and at the polling place near me, they managed to get rid of signs on neighbors' lawns.

Electioneering next to a polling place, however, is not allowed not so much because of influence but because of possible intimidation as well. It's hard enough getting people to vote, making a polling place no longer "sacred" by allowing for such things would end up being disastrous and nasty. I had enough of that leading up to the election (and dear lord, the McCain and Obama supporters in this area certainly loved to scream their lungs out).

Re: Religion and freedom of speach - round 1

[applegoddess]

Further to my last comment, the voters who do not a fking clue about what the props are about will go with what they know, which will be the last sign they see (Sweeping generalizations there but what did everyone vote on prop 6?). In cases like these a third option for "Undecided / clueless" would be a good option to help make sure that a vote that someone does not care about does not cancel out a meaningful vote. Yes you should have the right to vote, and you should also have the right not to vote, but you do not have the right to carelessly vote.

Ps. I don't mean to offend if you want me to stop posting let me know.

Re: Religion and freedom of speach - round 1

[applegoddess]

ha, yeah. however, nobody said you had to fill out every single bubble. if you were truly undecided you don't have to vote for that specific one. I bet lots of people only showed up to vote on the presidents and a couple props and left the rest of the ballot blank.

i wish more people did that.

and i'm not offended :)