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LETTERS / Enough With the Blame Game Already

Dear Editor

So, I have a question for Watauga County. How many of us out there have, at some point, decided it would be easier to plagiarize another work, change some words around, and then put it out there as our own? The trick is making sure you do it well enough that the teacher never discovers your source.

http://wataugarepubs.blogspot.com/2012/05/more-from-debbie-greene-on-local.html

Oops…

Of course, in Ms. Carter’s case, it’s not really plagiarizing so much as parroting. And let’s call these crocodile tears exactly what they are: they’re nothing more then a continuation of the personal vendetta that the local Republican leadership has against the ASU campus, and a baldfaced attempt to disenfranchise the students in the name of fairness. Another dose of double speak from Ms. Greene and surrogates like Ms. Carter, which is compounded by the hypocrisy of accusing the BOE of a “partisan agenda”. Ms. Greene clearly states in the above link that her own plan would make it harder for Democratic areas of the county to vote. But that’s not a partisan ploy at all, right? 

I wonder, will either Ms. Greene or Ms. Carter join me in filing a complaint to the BOE about Three Forks Baptist being an improper polling place given their open campaigning against Amendment One? Clearly Ms. Hodges had a partisan agenda for letting a heavily Republican area conduct voting operations!

And since it doesn’t carry well in print…yes, that is sarcasm. But it’s also page one of the new GOP playbook. To quote President Andrew Shepard (Michael Douglas, “The American President”): “Whatever your problem is, Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. Bob Rumson is interested in two things only: making you afraid of it, and telling you who is to blame for it. That is how you win elections.” Sound like anyone we know? Or a certain amendment vote? 

Just replace “Persecuted Christians being silenced by a pro-gay, anti-religion agenda!” with “Rural Residents unable to have their voices heard thanks to Boone and ASU!” Different lyrics, same song. And another hefty dose of projection on top, as once again we see the Republicans trying to play the victim card; even as their solution seems to be, as usual, victimizing others.

Let’s face facts here. Virtually every voting precinct in Watauga County is, on average, a 15-30 minute drive from Boone. There is ample parking on Queen Street to walk to the courthouse. Ms. Carter’s own letter shows there was over a week of early voting. And yet, somehow the town of Boone kept you from coming to vote? ASU kept you from showing up until May 8? How hard would it have been to (as I did) leave an hour early for work to go vote?

“But I work an 8AM – 5PM shift so I couldn’t!” Are you in Boone? Do you have a lunch hour? Did you consider asking your employer for permission to be a little late? What about a day off?

To turn a voter ID argument around: “It’s too far for Grandma to drive and vote!” So why don’t you go to help her get there? Why don’t you organize a get out the vote drive to get people to town? Why don’t you make an actual effort to engage and do your civic duty? Is whining and blaming everyone but yourself easier? That’s the kind of behavior that befits a 12 year old, not people who claim to lead a major political party. Every citizen of Watauga had ample opportunity to go vote. So if you didn’t get off the couch to do so, you have no one to blame but yourself.

To quote “The American President” again, “This a time for serious people Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up.”  We have real problems that need solving, and real leaders to work on them. Not people who continue to throw these little temper tantrums every time a vote goes against them. Not people who continue to think governance means inciting hatred and division. And we certainly don’t need people (like in the above linked blog) that treat a Democrat-sponsored plan to allow young people easier one-stop voting and registration on college universities as a liberal plot against them.

And that’s the level your local Republicans are sinking too. Patriots in name only, who now think even the ability to vote should only belong to those who share their view. How very American of them.

Jesse Steele
Boone NC