Politics

Our wa is disturbed

/ wvfurandroot / 2 Comments

Today, my wa is disturbed. Our wa is disturbed.

Wa? Wa is a Japanese term the meaning of which is morphing here lately, but originally it meant harmony or peaceful unity.  It applies to personal relationships, living environments, and even corporate boardrooms. It also meant peaceful community over individuality. It’s a strange concept for westerners to grasp especially those of us in the cult of individuality. 

Which I am.

I am all about the individual.

But I am also all about harmony between individuals. 

I made the mistake of turning on the news last Friday evening. Memphis Police released the Tyree Nichols video. I only caught the tail end of it, but it was enough to bring tears.

I am in a foul mood. 

The world, this country, seems to get uglier and uglier. I posted on Facebook a meme I made.  A few people liked it. One person commented. Nobody shared it.

Nobody.

I am so tired of hearing:

“I don’t understand why he didn’t just… I don’t understand why she was wearing… I don’t understand why they won’t just fix their own country…”

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Political Assassinations, Dead Chickens, Pop and Popcorn

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One movie poster proclaimed, “No grander Caesar…No greater cast!” It was the first filming of Julius Caesar in color. It was released in 1971 in the US. It might have been ’72 before I saw it but see it I did at the Northwoods Park Movie Theater in Jacksonville, North Carolina. It was walking distance from my house, a long walk, but walking distance, nonetheless.

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Self-Important, Officious Little Despots

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I went to vote this afternoon. I had meant to vote an absentee ballot but didn’t get my request sent in on time and so I trundled down to my polling place. I have voted in every election, I’m pretty sure since I registered to vote in West Virginia which was 1986 or, perhaps, 1987.  Today was the first time they ever gave me an “I Voted” sticker, but they sucked all the joy out of that.

They keep changing my precinct number — I switch back and forth between Cabell County Precinct 60A and Cabell County Precinct 60B. It has something to do with my last name being the middle of the alphabet.

Sure enough, they changed me again. I got a brand new Voter Registration Card a while back and I tucked it into my wallet for this day.

I walked into a mostly empty highschool gym. I went to 60A. I had to wait for the gentleman in front of me to get his ballot. They asked him for ID and he gave them what appeared to be a driver’s license. OK, fine. It’s my turn. I give them my brand, spanking new Voter Registration Card and they ask for me for photo ID.

Now that struck me wrong. I was pretty sure that my card was sufficient, but I’ve had a long day, I was cranky, and I had ID. I gave it to her.

When I got home, I checked the Secretary of State’s website for acceptable ID at the polls. It clearly states that my Voter Registration Card is sufficient.

https://sos.wv.gov/elections/Pages/BeReg.aspx

I am tired of officious, self-important despots changing the rules to reflect their personal opinions. Or whatever it was that went on. She was clearly wrong. But so was I. I didn’t speak up. It was a long day. I was tired. I had photo ID.

I’m told that polling personnel go through training. I would think that proper identification would be a significant portion of that training. If they are screwing up something as basic as that, what else are they doing? I don’t give a rat’s ass if you think a photo ID should be required. That is not the law. Polling personnel don’t get to make the rules.

Yes, I’ve already sent email to the Secretary of State’s office and will fill out the complaint form as soon as I can convince my printer to print.

AND NOT ONE OF THEM WERE WEARING MASKS.