among the thousands of graves at Omaha Beach, Normandy, France, I thought a
lot about this issue. DId these folks die so we could restrict voting
rights?
The column will appear in a variety of suburban and rural newspapers
around Minnesota over the coming 10 days.
Joe Nathan, St. Paul
http://hometownsource.com/2012/10/04/will-minnesota-go-forward-or-backward-in-history/
Will Minnesota go forward or backward in history?
By *Joe Nathan <<email obscured>>* on October 4, 2012 at 12:24
pm**Forwards or backwards, which will it be for Minnesota?
Having marched for civil rights in the 1960s, and having taught government,
politics and American history since 1971, I hope we see Minnesotas better
side this fall when we decide about whether to restrict or retain our
current approach to voting rights.
Recently Ive heard people saying, Since we have to show ID for buying
booze, why not for voting? Equating the two seems to misunderstand what
America is about.
[image: small
omaha]<http://hometownsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/smallomaha.jpg?9d7bd4>
Those who fought for us at Omaha Beach helped preserve the right to vote.
(Photo by Joe Nathan)
Recently I wrote about walking along a D-Day beach, and honoring
thousands of fallen heroes in a nearby cemetery. Several dozen readers
responded. One explained When I walked into the American Cemetery at
Arromanches, I felt the greatest religious feeling of my life. No church
or synagogue has ever affected me that greatly. I described it to my wife
as an outdoor cathedral.
I thank God for their enormous sacrifices. Or at times it seems as though
people forget how many lives were given so we can continue to enjoy all the
freedoms of our beautiful country. My Dad and two uncles were in World War
II and I know freedom is not free.
Did they fight and in some cases die, for the right to drink? Of course
not. Drinking is allowed, of course.
But is it one of democracys fundamental freedoms, like the right to vote?
Of course not.
Students sometimes are surprised when they learned in classes I taught that
when the country was born, only white men with a certain amount of property
were allowed to vote.
Students often are surprised on learning that it took about 150 years of
American history before women were allowed to vote. And of course, we
learned what Dr. Martin Luther King called the long walk toward freedom
before African Americans and other minorities gained the right to vote.
I remember very well when African Americans were attacked, and some killed,
for trying to register to vote, or trying to encourage others to register.
This did happen within the life time of some of us who are still alive.
Whether it was with Washington and his rag tag army, or a family member
fighting at Iwo Jima. The right to vote is sacred. There seems to be no
such widespread evidence of voter fraud here.
I think we owe those thousands of guys who died at Normandy Iwo Jima, or
(fill in the blank) more than we can ever repay. But in their memory, and
in their honor, I think we should not tamper with one of the fundamental
freedoms they fought for the right to vote.
*Joe Nathan, formerly a public school teacher, administrator and PTA
president, directs the Center for School Change. Reactions welcome,
<email obscured>*