Good evening councilors. My name is Richard Russell and I reside at 34 Cross Street in the city.
Right off the bat, I must say that I seriously disagree with this form of a public hearing on such an important issue as mail-in voting. It is as if I am having one of my American rights stolen without the ability to face anyone of you that wish to steal one of my American rights.
A few quick facts about me, my 2nd cousin 7 times removed died on April 19, 1775. Jason Russell of Menotomy, now Arlington, MA, was shot twice and bayoneted 7 times by the bitter British troops under General Howe, who got their butts handed to them by a bunch of American colonists at Lexington and Concord.
I take my heritage very seriously. I am a veteran, one of almost 42 million Americans that have served in the military in various military operations starting with the Revolutionary War. Almost 1.2 million Americans died fighting to defend and support our American way of life.
One of our American ways of life is the right to vote. The right to see my ballot inserted into a ballot box with no intermediaries between the time I fill out the ballot and the time my vote is counted; that means no USPS handling of my ballot or no election department clerks receiving my ballot and checking it off on a list before it is counted. Of all my rights as an American, this is probably the most important right that I have! There are too many examples of ballots getting lost at postal facilities only to turn up after the balloting process has concluded. I don’t want my ballot to fall into an “Oops, it got misplaced in the mail; sorry!” category.
For various government officials to use the coronavirus outbreak as an excuse to hold teleconference public hearings is a total slap in the face to all Americans. I equate a public hearing before a legislative body as being very similar to a court trial. I feel that I, no we the citizens, deserve the right to face those that want to steal my, no our, access to the ballot box away from me, no any voter that wishes to use a ballot box.
As I look at all of the elected officials in Lawrence, I can only count 2 as veterans and a 3rd. who came from a military family. The remaining 7 of you, with no disrespect to you and your upbringing, have no idea of what Americans have gone through to protect our rights including the right to vote. From the previously mentioned military numbers, 2.8% of those that served in the military have died defending our American rights.
The bottom line, for you or any government agency, to deny me the right to have direct access to a ballot box while allowing me the right to stand in line at Walmart or a 7-11 is totally ludicrous.
For you to want to implement this drastic change in the voting process with a major election coming up, an election that might have a serious impact on the future of America, with no testing or practicing with minor elections defies logic.
Basically, IMHO, various legislative bodies are attempting to add a 9th step to Saul Alinsky’s process on “How to Create a Socialist State” by making it difficult to be able to vote. I hate to bring politics into this issue but I have a tendency to be able to see the storm behind the clouds. I see a lot of stormy weather in the future if this mail-in voting process passes.
Thank you for allowing me the time to express my thoughts on this very important issue!
Stay safe, wear your mask, practice social distancing, and be sure to wash your hands!
HOW TO CREATE A SOCIALIST STATE
BY SAUL ALINSKY
There are eight levels of control that must be obtained before you are able to create a socialist state. The first is the most important.
- Healthcare – Control healthcare and you control the people.
- Poverty – Increase the Poverty level as high as possible, poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.
- Debt – Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes, and this will produce more poverty.
- Gun Control – Remove people’s ability to defend themselves from the Government. That way you are able to create a police state.
- Welfare – Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Housing, and Income.)
- Education – Take control of what people read and listen to take control of what children learn in school. Think: “Common Core.”
- Religion – Remove the belief in God from the Government and schools.
- Class Warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take (Tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.
