Blacks Afraid of Electronic Voting

[Love_Spell_6]

I posted this in the news and politics forum..but posting here as well for those that don't vistit that forum.

Only Democrats can get away with this type of rhetoric...cause the Republicans are so racist..


Miami (CNSNews.com) - An African-American civil rights spokeswoman said on Wednesday that the new computerized voting machines "terrify" her, and that blacks are "afraid of machines like that."

Joanne Bland, the director and co-founder of the National Voting Rights Museum and Institute in Selma, Ala., told CNSNews.com on Wednesday that the new computerized voting machines are going to intimidate black voters in Florida and elsewhere and suppress their vote in the November presidential election because many blacks are not "technologically savvy."

"The computers really terrify me. The electronic voting -- the new machines -- I think it will turn off a segment in my community, particularly the elderly. We are not as technically savvy, and we are afraid of machines like that, and they (African-Americans) probably won't go [to the polls] and they probably won't ask for assistance, said Bland, who spent the last week in Florida.

"It is going to turn them off totally and I want that to stop," said Bland, who also serves as a spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for Public Accuracy, which predicts that "several million voters" may be "deprived of voting rights again" in 2004.

When asked if she preferred low-tech punch-card ballots that produced the controversial hanging chads in Florida in 2000, Bland responded, "Now that was low technology to who? People that have been privileged to learn technology? There have been lots of changes in the United States, but if you look at the statistics, our biggest block of voters would be between 40 and 80, so when did those people have access to any kind of technology?"

As an 11-year-old in 1965, Bland took part in the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She has just concluded a speaking tour on the history of the civil rights movement in the Miami area.

"I got the hell out of there Saturday, and I would suggest you do, too. Until we get rid of those Bushes (President George W. Bush and his brother, Florida Governor Jeb Bush), we're going to have a problem in Florida," Bland said.

GOP political operatives were quick to denounce Bland's comments.

African-American GOP consultant Tara Setmayer, who has worked on Florida congressional campaigns, called Bland's remarks "insulting" to black Americans.

"I think it's insulting to imply that African-Americans are unable to comprehend or assimilate modern-day technology," Setmayer said.

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialR...E20040930a.html

[nikki1920]

I think to say that Blacks as a whole are "afraid" of computerized voting machines is a grand generalization, but i see what the article is trying to say. Most older people arent too fond of computerized anything. Interesting article, though. Thanks for posting it.

[MeezDiscreet]

that article is a load of crap! because one woman from alabama who grew up in the civil rights era thinks computers are scary, black people in america are probably not going to vote? who wrote this crap? it is sooo slighted and slanted that it's ridiculous! the whole tone of this article, to me, was "look how dumb these coloreds are." THUMBS DOWN!

[CrimsonTide4]

I would love to vote electronically, but the older generation is more likely to shun that voting method. Older generation, be they Black or white, IMO.

[Kimmie1913]

I think people in this country have gotten too comfortable using race and other factors interchangeably. Which some things may correspond with race, that does not make race the cause.

By that I mean- race and socioeconomic status are not equal. Just because individuals who are less likely to have a home computer or be exposed to technology in their work lives are likely to be in a lower economic status and that group contains a disproportionate number of Black folks does not translate into Black folks are scared of the machines. It may mean that people unaccustomed to technology are going to be weary of them (and I do think that is true) but the fact that it too often gets translated into Black folks is frustrating.

I think the same thing about he machines and elderly folks. We know some seniors who are all about the net and their email. There are others who do not want any part of it. We have Delta Dears in my chapter that the younger sorors do their on line convention registration because other wise it would not happen. They are not going near a computer and could not use one if they wanted to. These are the people who stand to be disenfranchised by mandatory electronic voting. I do think that is a concern. Not one based on race, but a concern based on equal access.

[TonyB06]

Originally posted by Kimmie1913
I think people in this country have gotten too comfortable using race and other factors interchangeably. Which some things may correspond with race, that does not make race the cause.

well said, Kimmie1913. Great post (as per your usual. )

As for Ms. Bland, someone probably should have gone "Sandman Sims" on her after the first comment, cause she was obviously having a bad day.

[abaici]

I have no words for that. It's ridiculous.

However, is anyone concerned with the potential lack of a paper trail due to eletronic voting?

[RedAngel]

You took the words out of my mouth! I was thinking about the lack of paper trail also.

[Steeltrap]

Of course, Kimmie is breaking it down.

Unfortunately, the gross generalizations and lack of research is fairly common in today's media. Understand that I was trained as a reporter in the 1980s by folks who at least gave lip services to trying to get all sides of the story.

[mccoyred]

The way to get around that is to simply print out the ballot information for the voter to take with them. Its not rocket science for the those (not you personally) who fear electronic processes. Printers have been around as long as computers have because MOST people (even those who LOVE computers) still need a hard copy record.

Originally posted by abaici
I have no words for that. It's ridiculous.

However, is any concerned with the potential lack of a paper trail due to eletronic voting?

[ladygreek]

Originally posted by Love_Spell_6
Only Democrats can get away with this type of rhetoric...cause the Republicans are so racist.. http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewSpecialR...E20040930a.html

What did this have to do with Democrats v. Republicans? This is what ONE woman has said. It is not a statement released by the Democrat Party, so your sarcasm is unwarranted.
************
But unfortunately, there is some truth to what she said--minus the race generalization. There will be many people disenfranchised by the technology. Ms. Bland may be 50, but like Kimmie said it is a socio-economic issue that will affect those that are younger as well. It is a serious topic of discussion among people doing GOTV programs.

[Love_Spell_6]

Originally posted by mccoyred
The way to get around that is to simply print out the ballot information for the voter to take with them. Its not rocket science for the those (not you personally) who fear electronic processes. Printers have been around as long as computers have because MOST people (even those who LOVE computers) still need a hard copy record.

Very true. I can understand why some people who aren't computer literate would be leary of the computer process..but to characterize blacks as being afraid is a bit much. I would see this as a computer literate vs. non-computer literate issue.

[NuQueen04]

Originally posted by abaici
However, is anyone concerned with the potential lack of a paper trail due to eletronic voting?

I believe that is the real concern. If a paper trail existed in addition to electronic voting, more people would feel comfortable with the new method. A black gentleman called in his concerned on a weekend community radio show. In short, he was afraid that the voting machines could be programmed to either disregard his vote all together or change his vote to something else.

Per someone that has seen the tabulating method for electronic voting, all the machine gives you is the total per candidate.... almost like a sales receipt. Personally, I don't think that is enough but I will be voting on Nov 2nd.

Also, I think that most Floridians don't want to be the reason for another stolen election.

Like Jesse Jackson stated on numerous occasions:
Stay out of the Bushes.

Jeb made it back. Let's not make the same mistake twice.

[Bamboozled]

Here's a beta version of the voting program they're planning to run in Florida...

http://www.wearabledissent.com/101/floridaballot.html

[ladygreek]

Making sure that folx who were displaced by the hurricanes are able to vote.