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When I was around 19 or 20, I’d hang out with guys who were several years older than me. Most of my older friends drank beer and often invited me to drink with them. As we ordered beer, guys who knew I was underage would slip me their driver’s license under the table as the waitress checked to see if we were old enough to drink beer. Back in the 50s, driver’s license didn’t have your mug on the license. Thus, I drank lots of beer at bars prior to being 21. When I turned 21 and celebrated my birthday at the Patio Bar, Andy, the proprietor said, “James, you sorry butt, you could have had my bar closed if I was caught selling beer to you!” We all laughed and continued celebrating my birthday.
Today, anyone under 21 will have a tougher time than I did ordering alcohol drinks without a valid drivers license photo ID. And, though I got away for several years drinking underage, I confess that it was a dumb thing to do, and sadly many underage individuals today still do it by whatever means (false IDs, get older friends to buy, etc.).
I just recently received my voter registration card and will be voting this week on the upcoming Texas primary elections. From what I’ve read, Texas should have already had their primary elections on March 6, but were delayed due to some gripes by the Democrats over election district maps drawn last year by the Texas Legislature. On March 1, a federal court in San Antonio set the primaries for May 29 under interim, court-drawn maps. Democrats also raised cane about voters having to have fraud proof voter cards with their photo on the card. I believe Democrats were complaining that minorities (blacks, Hispanics, Asians and anyone not white) would have trouble following the new voting guidelines passed by the 82nd Texas Legislature when they passed Senate Bill 14, a voter identification law, which changed some of the rules for voting in Texas. As an American Hispanic I don’t see any intimidating reasons why I personally couldn’t comply with the new rules such as having: A valid driver’s license, election ID certificate, U.S. military ID card, U.S. citizenship certificate, or a valid U.S. passport to comply with the new rules which supposedly take effect January 1, of next year and not this coming November. My God folks, when we go to a bank, or purchase goods with a credit card we’re always asked for identification. Recently, I purchased some tools at a hardware store and the cashier, a Hispanic, asked me for my ID when I paid with a check. I asked her, “Are you checking my ID because I’m Hispanic?” She said, “No, I asked everybody who pays with a check regardless of their skin color or ethnicity for an ID.”
Seriously folks, why are Democrats afraid of with this photo ID voting card business? Aren’t they afraid of voter fraud at the ballot box like any red blood voting American would be? Or, do they believe that voter fraud doesn’t exist? I personally don’t know if photo ID voting cards will curtail voter fraud, but I can’t see where it hurts minorities. My God, don’t Democrats think blacks, Hispanics, etc. can’t read and are too stupid to vote? Having been an election judge for 10 years in my predominately Hispanic community in the 1980s I vividly remember assisting any voter who had vision problems or was not fluent in understanding voting ballots in Spanish or English. Speaking of Spanish ballots, in the 10 years I was an election judge I can only recall one vote cast in Spanish in my predominately Hispanic community. And the voter, a friend fluent in English, told me he did it for the hell of it! What a terrible waste of Texas taxpayer’s dollars!
While living in North Fort Worth, a predominately Hispanic area, I was very involved in my parish and in local politics. Though I was a Republican and was scorned for it by Hispanic Democrats who sought political office, they often solicited my help due that I was one heck of a fundraiser and I had close ties with most business owners in my turf. Whether for my parish or politicians who I supported, most business owners would generously fund my church or political endeavors.
Two Hispanic Democrats who I helped significantly in their political battles in the late 70s were Councilman Louis Zapata, the first Hispanic councilman in Fort Worth and Justice of the Peace Manuel Valdez who was from San Antonio. Mr. Zapata had monetary issues and Mr. Valdez was hardly known in North Fort Worth. Thus, I, along with an alcoholic friend raised several thousand dollars with raffles to help Mr. Zapata and I undertook the challenge to introduce Mr. Valdez to many known political activists in my parish and my community. It was during these two political involvements that I became aware of how money was spent to pay black activists within the political districts of both Hispanic politicians to secure votes for them by whatever means to ensure them black votes. Was it done by fraudulent means? Truthfully, I don’t know, the only think I do know is that black voters knew little if anything about both politicians. Blacks just sold their votes to the highest bidder. Were they interested in who was a good candidate? No, money was their motivator.
What seems so obvious to me and other concern voters is that Democrats would like nothing better than for illegal aliens to have a voice by their possible fraudulent votes in our election process. What other reason would they be concerned about photo IDs? American Hispanics, Blacks and Asians all are in most part English literate and possess the necessary ID papers to prove their citizenship. Illegal aliens on the other hand, can’t in most part read or write English, nor do they have the necessary ID papers to prove their citizenship.
Unaware to many Americans and Texans as well is that Mexico requires all who vote there to show their photo ID at the polls. In Mexico, if you don’t have this voter ID photo card you don’t vote! My fellow Texans, Mexico’s photo ID card not only has the voter’s photo on it, but a fingerprint and “the voter’s life’s history! Wow! Now how great is that? I say, let’s adopt Mexico’s voter law!
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