I watched the Biden-Palin debate tonight, and although it did not change my mind, it did bring some memories of how in Texas, one had the right to vote, but only if he/she paid a poll tax.
The half-page advertisement above appeared in one of the issues of the Robstown Record in January 1950. Oh the tales that have been told of corruption and fraud in the 1940s and 1950s in Texas.
My first presidential voting opportunity came in 1960. John F Kennedy came to Austin, and stopped by the UT campus. I did get to shake John Kennedy's hand, and I still remember it vividly. He looked right at me and had a strong but brief hold of my hand. I think everyone in the crowd got the same eye contact and hand shake. I also remember Sam Rayburn and Lyndon B Johnson were among the other dignitaries, but I only had eyes and ears for the charismatic, handsome Kennedy.
My mom and dad always voted Democratic. My dad told me that the Republican was the party of the rich people and they did not care for Latin Americans or poor people. He told us that the Democratic party was the way to go because even if there were rich politicians, they at least did more for our people.
Since the presidential election of 2004, I have been intermittently employed by the Office of Personnel Management to assist the Department of Justice in observing polling places in cities or counties that have been found non-compliant with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, passed under LBJ's watch. It gives me great satisfaction that this time in my life, I can assist in making sure that Americans of different colors, ethnicities, religions, disabilities are not disenfranchised.
It really disappointed me when on one of my recent trips to Texas, I was told that many Democrats don't even go to the polling place anymore. They, I was told, think that their vote will not make a difference because the Republicans have been winning all the state and national elections.
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