Former Republican Friend--Now Philly Poll Watcher

[msanthrope]

Spoke with a Republican friend a few days ago. I'm still trying to sort out how I feel about being yelled at and told that "you are dividing the country with your hatred! You have to back the President!!!"

Turns out that friend (now, ex-friend) has been recruited to be a 'poll-watcher' in the city of Philadelphia. She told me that it is her duty to challenge the "wetbacks who are not legal citizens." She is going there with the intent of disrupting the vote. Any voter she sees who she suspects, she is supposed to "challenge and make them prove they are citizens." She told me that she is working for the Republican party, and she is allowed to be inside the polling place, as opposed to outside of it. What was even sicker than the threats was the crazed, self-righteous way she told me about it--it made her feel good. She enjoyed the thought of supressing the minority vote.

What nearly made her head pop was this: I told her that nothing could prevent a voter from taking her picture and calling the police and filing a complaint and getting her name and address. She told me that this was "intimidation." There was real fear in her voice when I told her that of course voters could challenge her back. All of her bluster, all of her bravado, vanished when I told her that this time, Democrats were't backing down--we were takig names, numbers, and pictures.

And I realized something. These slimy sons of bitches want to supress the minority vote....they just don't want to be on camera doing it. They want to be able to crawl back to their enclaves and deny that they did anything wrong. The solution?

1) Pictures. Recordings. Video.
2) If you are present when a voter is challenged, demand to know the name of the person challenging the ballot. Take their picture.
3) Know your local Dem numbers.
4) Get other voters in line to help you. Give help if you are asked.
5) Don't back down.

When I got off the phone with my ex-friend, I didn't despair. I saw this as an opportunity to fulfll my duty as a civic-minded, patriotic American.

I'll be damned before I let these bastards take my county away.

I'll be damned before I let bigots have the final say over who canand cannot vote in this country.

I'll be damned before I forget the blood of patriots spilled to keep my liberty.

Vote. Poll watch. Organize. HOPE....

[RevolutionStartsNow]

1. I'll be in Ohio, bringing my camera

My big long-lens camera as well as a small pocket one that takes short videos.

[PA Democrat]

2. I learned yesterday that there is a fee of $10 for each voter challenged

"Challenging absentee ballots is an art in itself, say lawyers familiar with the process.

"You've got to do your work ahead of time" and know which voters' ballots will be challenged, said Gregory M. Harvey, a Philadelphia lawyer who has handled election-law cases for 40 years. Each challenge requires a $10 fee, he said."


http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/9714540.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

[demokatgurrl]

9. They were also hiring for $100- see Saturday's NYT. n/t

[Hubert Flottz]

3. RE: "wetbacks who are not legal citizens."

Keeping a registered voter from voting because of their race, sounds for all the world like a Hate Crime to me! I'd call the state and county election people and give them the lady's name and tell them what she said! Also tell them where she will be working the polls!

[TankLV]

10. Yes, by all means - stop this idiot before she can do ANY damage!

Do all you can to stop this idiot from going anywhere near a polling station!

Get her ass thrown out pronto BEFORE hand!

[Eric J in MN]

4. I'm bringing a camera when I go to vote (nt)

nt

[brooklynite]

5. Election Protection still looking for Poll Monitors in Philly

to prevent just this sort of intimidation and harrasment. I was assigned there, but will be going to Broward County, Florida instead. EP wants lawyers especially, but will take any volunteers who can show up for training.

http://www.electionprotectionvolunteer.org/

[msanthrope]

6. Full up in philly, but I'm contacting my local ward leader to see

if they need help...

[tarheel_voter]

7. Jeez...Bush has brought prejudice back!

All in the name of Terra !!!

I love how long we have been "on alert". I love how I have to turn the TV news off, or change the radio station each day so my kids don't have to see/hear about all the violence each day. I love how the Repukes found a way to profit from the blood of American Citizens and Soldiers.

11 more days folks!

[SW FL Dem]

8. I'll be at a poll in FL, we've been told to bring our digi cameras

We have written instructions on how to deal with challenges by the repubs.

[Demoiselle]

11. She'll have to have the proper papers to be inside the polling place...

..for any longer period than the time it takes her to vote. And if she doesn't vote in that precinct she's on even thinner ice. I'm a Dem committeewoman in Philly and I and all my compatriots, Dem and Repuke, are issues "licenses" of a sort for the day that prove we have a right to be there. I believe each party gets an equal allotment of such papers. I would say that the very first thing anyone challenged should do anywhere is to insist on seeing their "papers." Take their pictures. Offer to call downtown to check up on them. All very calmly. And, of course, look for assistance from any Democratic poll workers who are there.