For the past few months, we have heard about how the Obama administration, under the direction of US Attorney Eric Holder, who has been held in contempt by Congress, is suing North Carolina for the new voter ID law that passed and was signed by Governor Pat McCrory. This lawsuit is not only frivolous, but reeks of hypocrisy.
For months, its opponents called many who support the bill racists, oppressors, and anti-minority. However, these ideologues need to examine their own positions on certain issues. For example, a typical argument is that the voter ID laws are inherently racist because it oppresses minorities and people in lower socio-economic classes. According to the NC-DMV, who is in charge of distributing state ID’s:
“After January 1, 2014, you will be able to apply for a free NC ID card to be used for voting. To qualify, you will need to:
* Prove your age and identity.
* Prove your NC residency.
* Be registered to vote in North Carolina.
* Not have a valid driver license.”
This form of NC ID card will be valid for voting and for identification purposes only. You will apply using the same documents (proof of name, birth date, Social Security, and residency) as listed above.
If that is not enough, enter Obamacare. In the fine print, Obamacare requires an ID to sign up, which is pointed out by many sources, including the Washington Examiner. This means that despite the NC Dems opposition, many of the minorities they claim that conservatives hate, must attain identification either way. By North Carolina Dems own logic, the President’s health care law is racist, oppressive, and anti-minority. Will this impact by our president’s law cause a massive backlash from the liberals in North Carolina? I highly doubt it.
In addition, our very own Student Congress has repeatedly condemned the Governor and his actions, saying that the moves would be “damaging to the Carolina Community,” including moving polling places off campus, despite their 10% turnout rate. The members of Student Congress explicitly stated their anger towards the new voting requirements, and the shortening of number of days for early voting in a resolution passed earlier this year. Ironically, but not surprisingly, Student Congress voted last week to shorten its Student Body Presidential election campaign season by a week. It seems that Student Congress could do with some institutional-awareness.
The left, both on and off campus, constantly accuse conservatives across North Carolina of being racists and oppressive, yet when the ideas come from their side, it is okay. Leftism has never cared about the policy or the results; it is all about protecting their power.
I find it very concerning and disappointing that CR Daily continues to group UNC Student Congress into a single, anti-Republican body. Student Congress has multiple Republican members, including the chairman of the UNC College Republicans. To imply that all of Student Congress feels a certain way is to completely dismiss the basic principles of journalistic integrity. Isn’t it commonplace for right-leaning media to report on the actions of the “Democratic majority” and “Republican minority?” Should the Carolina Review not strive to uphold similar, if not higher, standards? Additionally, to link the shortening of federal and state early voting periods with the shortening of a college campus’s campaign period seems to be a bit of a stretch, and the meeting in which Student Congress voted to shorten the campaign period is not representative of the entire body, as many members were preparing for final exams and could not attend. Personally, I would have voted no to both if given the opportunity. Overall, it would be refreshing to see the Carolina Review and College Republicans give credit where credit is due and stop persecuting the same individuals who side with them in the face of the “discriminatory” Student Congress.