Race in Politics, 2012

What is this new clamoring for photo IDs all about? And, why now?

What is it about the upcoming election that suddenly necessitates the dire need to ensure that those seeking to vote are who they say they are? 

Some of us remember the days of the "poll tax," when people of color were required to jump through veritably impossible hoops as they sought to exercise their right to vote. The law gave them the right to vote, but those at the polls had their own ideas, and thus was born the so-called poll tax. 

Could this sudden demand for a photo ID be a way to bring back the poll tax?  When someone off-mike is heard to say that it's time to put the "white" back in White House, one can only wonder.

The historical election of a non-white man to the highest office in the land gave the false impression to the uber optimists that the United States of America had moved into a post-racial age. Nice thought, but even I didn't buy into that one, and my rose-colored glasses are the rosiest shade of rose. I am truly a glass half-full kind of gal, but I am capable of seeing that the ideal is not always what is real.

Our country has by no means become a colorblind society, nor should it become so, IMHO (in my humble opinion). In order to see me completely, you must note my skin color, eye and hair color, whether I'm tall, short, thin,  or wide.  It is totally unnecessary to try to negate a person's skin color, which is a part of an individual's identity in order for ours to become an equal society.  But I digress...

I am always hesitant to say that a particular negative situation is racially motivated, but this voter ID thing kind of smacks me in the face and says..."Sarah Louise, call a thang a thang."  

Granted, a lot of voters cast their vote for President Obama because he looks like them, but let's not try to turn the clock back due to a desire to try to unseat him. That can be the beginning of a very slippery slope and the traveling down a road that we as Americans don't want to tread.  Many of our foremothers and forefathers have already trod down that road, and we don't need to repeat that particular part of the history of America.  

I would also posit to you that the majority of people who voted for the President believed in his vision for the country.  That he happened to be bi-racial was icing on the cake for many Americans, regardless of skin color or ethnicity.

Fair and square needs to be the rule of the day.  Our democracy already has a question mark beside it because of the Bush v. Gore election; let's not put it further into question by demanding something for this election that was not a requirement for previous elections.  Let's trust in our democratic process.

God bless America.