Politics in America Reaches a New Low
Whenever one thinks political discourse and campaigns cannot sink any lower, someone comes up with another "better idea." The latest is brought to us courtesy of the fine folks opposed to voting on gay marriage in Massachusetts. Not content to fight on the issue, these fine, upstanding citizens of the commonwealth decided to "out" everyone who signed the petition asking for a vote on the subject. They developed a searchable database of the names and complete addresses of every individual who signed the petition and posted it on the internet so that anyone who wants to can look up their neighbors, employees, clients, customers, providers, or employers to see if they are on the list. Searches can be conducted by zip code, city, street, or name.
knowthyneighbor.org
This is nothing more than public intimidation of private individuals disguised as political speech. By publicizing the availability of this detailed information, these good citizens of Massachusetts appear to be encouraging acts of retribution.
One need not agree with the goal of the petitioners to damn the opponents for this despicable development. Those who believe that the good cause involved justifies the means ought to stop and consider what might happen to them when they sign a petition for some worthy cause of their own. Powerful interests, such as industries, public and private employee unions, and others are almost always doing battle over an initiative or referendum in one state or another.
With this kind of detailed information in hand, companies can start weeding out employees with political beliefs that they find objectionable (but, before this, had no way of knowing about). Unions can pass out lists of disloyal members (about 40% of union members voting supported many of the "anti-union" initiatives that failed in California's recent special election). Teachers can be sent updates of the parents of children in their class that support or oppose teacher's union causes. The mind boggles at the mayhem and abuse that can, and doubtless will, occur as this indefensible invasion of personal privacy spreads. As the website linked above shows, it is now happening in Florida, as well.
The people's right to petition is an important one that will suffer great harm thanks to this campaign. Voters must now fear that their mere signature on a petition will cause them to suffer public and private humiliation, retribution, or actual physical danger.
One wonders how long it will be before the state starts uploading the tax returns of residents of Massachusetts. After all, those are public forms, too. Everyone can then check everyone else's returns for accuracy and let the state know who may be fudging or has assets disproportionate to income.
Come to think of it, school records are public records as well. Parents have a right to know if their children are associating with the "right kind" of children. What better way to let them know then publishing grades on the internet?
Why bother with private ballots? Put a camera in the voting booth and record everyone and be done with it. |
