Posted on 10/31/2012 11:22:14 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Texas Values Assists Intimidated Voter Forced to Cover Up Her Religious T-Shirt Before Voting
Austin, TX, October 31, 2012–During early voting last week, a Texas voter in Williamson County was banned from wearing a t-shirt with the words “Vote the Bible” printed on the front. On October 24, Williamson County election workers at the Taylor City Hall polling place told Kay Hill that before she would be allowed to vote she had to turn her shirt inside out, go home and change, or cover up the words “Vote the Bible” because they “may be offensive to some people.”
After voicing disagreement numerous times, Ms. Hill ultimately complied and was forced to cover up the words “Vote the Bible.” Williamson County election workers provided her with an election worker’s jacket to cover up the “offensive” words. Ms. Hill later spoke with Williamson County Election Administrator Rick Barron who confirmed that the election workers could make this decision to ban the words “Vote the Bible.”
“It’s outrageous that a person of faith would be mistreated this way while trying to vote. If this isn’t voter intimidation, I don’t know what is?” said Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values. “We hope Williamson County officials step up and put an end to this injustice immediately. No one else should have to suffer the humiliation, embarrassment and intimidation that Ms. Hill endured. No one should be asked to give up their religious freedom in order to vote,” said Saenz.
Texas Values is assisting Ms. Hill in asking Williamson County to end this unfair policy immediately. Texas Values has also requested that Williamson County issue an apology to Ms. Hill and circulate instructions to all Williamson County election workers and polling places that it is permissible to vote while wearing a t-shirt with the words “Vote the Bible.”
Ms. Hill is prepared to file a formal complaint with the Texas Secretary of State’s office if Williamson County refuses to remedy this situation by 5 p.m. on Thursday, November 1, 2012.
View our Williamson County Complaint letter.
These LYING election workers have no such right whatsoever and I wish it would have been me. I would have had them arrested for voter intimidation and more as well as the primary charge of inciting rebellion against the United States and texas Constitution for the absolute right to speech and religion...#’s 1 and 2.
Liberal progressives need to be jailed when they do this, their jailhouse faces put up on billboards and warnings issued to all!
Since the Tea Party is not an official political party, doesn’t run candidates under it’s own name, I can see allowing the shirt. A person could wear an SEIU shirt for the same reason.
I will admit though, Christians don’t run candidates under the Christian party either.
The problem may be as simple as this.
“Vote for...”
Wear a shirt saying “I love Jesus” for instance, probably wouldn’t be a problem. “Vote Jesus”, probably would be.
Vote SEIU, or vote Tea Party, probably would be a problem.
Easily arguable as electioneering within a polling place.
If the shirt said, "Vote the Book of Mormon," are you telling me that wouldn't be seen as a Romney tee shirt?
“Easily” eh?
Are you suggesting Obama is not a Christian or doesn’t believe in the Bible?
Here is an example of “electioneering” law exemptions:
14.05 Exemptions
The following shall be exempted from the coverage of this ordinance:
Nonpartisan Statements or Signage. Statements and signage expressing positions on public policy issues that are generally considered to be nonpartisan shall not be deemed to be electioneering. Examples include but are not limited to “Support Our Troops”, “God Bless America”, “Don’t Steal - The Government Hates Competition”, “If You Can Read This, Thank a Teacher”, “Peace is Patriotic”, “Member Local 12345 AFL-CIO”, “and Caution! Former Fetus At Wheel”, “War is Never the Answer”, “I’m Pro-Choice and I Vote”, and “Vegetarian: Indian Word for Lousy Hunter”.
http://townwilson.com/Files/Ordinances/ch14.pdf
Is there a Mike Bible running for State Senate or something?
lol
If it was “VOTE ISLAM” do you think they would flag it?
The article was about “Vote the Bible”, which as far as I can tell is not a candidate or political party, therefore should be allowed, right?
Austin is the Texas city where the UN poll watchers are supposed to be watching for voter intimidation.
Hope they try it and get arrested as Perry has declared.
What was your first clue?
The reason given was bogus but banning the shirt was legit. No political endorsements or statements are permitted within the polling area if I remember correctly.
Hey, where’s the UN monitors and hussein’s voter intimidateion lawyers???
Austin is in Travis county and there are several very conservative areas within the county. I live in one that will be over 75% R/R on Nov 6th. Taylor is in Williamson county that is normally considered very right leaning. I hated to move from that county back into Travis, but the drug problem at the elementary school in our neighborhood made us move. BTW, Taylor has a very high African - American population.
Austin further left than Berkeley.
See post #26, DO.
Forgot about that one!;^{ We used to have some Bibles living near us.
Thanks for the list and link VeniVidiVici. Thank you too SwinneySwitch, for pointing this post out to me.
On California’s ballot right now, are at least two propositions that stand to directly impact union members.
Propositions #30 & #38 both address raising taxes to be spent specifically on schools. And granted, that’s only if you agree with the premise, which I don’t.
Guess what happens if we raise $5 billion through taxes. Even if they keep their word and spend that on schools, guess what happens to $5 billion in the budget. It can be diverted elsewhere with zero impact on schools. These guys are slicker than snot on a door knob.
Okay, what if someone walks into a polling station with a shirt that says, “Vote SEIU!” Isn’t that electioneering? I would certainly see it that way with initiatives on the ballot directly impacting union employees.
What if another Homosexual Marriage proposition were on the ballet? Wouldn’t “Vote the Bible” be seen as an advocacy to vote with Christ’s teachings, and against the ballot measure allowing Homosexual Marriage on an equal footing with Heterosexual Marriage?
I just don’t see the need to express opinions in the polling place. I want those places to be (in effect) demilitarized zones.
Let’s say you’re 82 years old, and you want to vote. You’re a Christian and you’re trying to do your civic duty. How would you like to walk into a polling station past 50 people outside wearing “Vote Homosexual” shirts? Then you walk inside and everyone is wearing the same shirt, and some of them look rather menacing? So do the folks outside.
Should this older person have to walk a gauntlet to vote?
What if one of the people outside recognizes her as a Christian, and tips others off?
That’s just not the atmosphere I want to foster at our polling stations.
“Vote the Bible” is a great slogan. I just don’t think it’s something we need to wear into the polling station. And if we’re going to do that, then the Left can game the system and will.
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