Here's a fun way to defend a racist restriction on voting rights: First, claim the new rule is colorblind. Then, when black legislators get angry, plead ignorance. Say you had no idea the rule was draconian compared to policies in most of the country.
This is Gov. Rick Scott's strategy when it comes to defending the archaic voting ban his Cabinet passed in March. The rule -- which requires nonviolent felons to wait five years after completing their sentences before applying to have their voting rights restored -- returned Florida to its ugly past.
After the Civil War, the first law disenfranchising felons was zealously employed to keep newly freed slaves from voting.
Fast-forward to the 2000 election debacle, when thousands of people were misidentified as felons and purged from the voter rolls. And guess what? A disproportionate proportion of the people blocked from voting were black.
Thankfully, former Govs. Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist heard the resulting public outcry and changed the law, getting rid of the waiting period and allowing nonviolent felons to have their voting rights automatically restored when they finished serving their time.
Still, Scott's pleading ignorance. He told black lawmakers yesterday that he would take another look at the ban, if they provide him with more information about its impact and the policies in other states. "If there's a better way of doing it, I'll look at it," he said, according to the Post.
That's right, Governor. Have other people do your research for you. Make sure you remain as ignorant as possible when making policy decisions. Being dumb is better than being racist, wouldn't you say?
