You know it’s crazy when—of all people—the Rev. Nelson Johnson is seeking to restore order at a public protest. The site was the Guilford County Board of elections meeting; at issue was the plan for early voting times and sites for the coming presidential election in wake of opinion by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturning North Carolina’s election reform law:
Hundreds of people packed the commissioners’ meeting room Thursday, filling every seat and lining the walls. Before the meeting began, a handful of residents approached the dais to plead for a public comment period.
“There’s a lot of us that have children at A&T and UNCG and want to speak on our children’s right to vote,” Rabbi Fred Guttmann said.
“What you’re doing is basically tearing at the fabric of American democracy.”
But Board of Elections Chairwoman Kathryn Lindley declined to provide time for audience members to address the board.
“If you want to have a press conference,” she told Guttmann, “please do that outside of this meeting.”
Without a chance to voice their concerns, audience members grew restless, allowing board members only a few minutes to speak before erupting in chanting, clapping and shouting. Eventually, the crowd linked arms and began singing, “We Shall Not Be Moved.”
Guess what—the protesters got what they wanted—more sites and times to vote than in the 2012 presidential election. But what got me was the quote form Rabbi Guttmann. For starters—where were the college kids at the protest—looked to me like a lot aging baby boomers in the crowd. And why should a parent be speaking up for their adult child’s voting process? When I was in college many years ago, I took care of my own voting rights. Yes I neglected to change my registration from Wake to Guilford County one year—but guess what–I got myself back home to Raleigh in order to vote. I then figured out—-all on my own—how to change my registration to Guilford County.
The way I see it —-this is yet another example of the left’s efforts to infantilize adult children. The other best example? Obamacare, which allowed kids to stay on their parents’ policy until age 26.
