Organize the South

This is a letter I wrote to the AJC today. This version is the longer one with links since the AJC policy is to limit letters to 150 words. My letter is a response to Rep. Mark Burkhalter's idiotic op ed piece about restricting voting rights. If you want to send a letter to the AJC, you can access their letters page. You can also send the letter straight to Burkalter at mark.burkhalter@house.ga.gov.


Rep. Mark Burkhalter July 15 letter about alleged noncitizen voting was preposterous. His theory is so ridiculous I can only conclude that Rep. Burkhalter is a complete idiot or a shill for a republican strategy to restrict voting rights. Either possibility doesn't bode well for the representative.

Rep. Burkhalter should inform himself on a common argumentative fallacy called a non sequitur. A non sequitur is an argument where the conclusion doesn't follow the premise. Burkhalter commits this when he says noncitizens have declined to serve on juries in Georgia because they aren't citizens, so therefore "illegal aliens" are voting. This is a basic logical mistake because jury selection lists are composed of voter lists AND driver license records. Of course finding this kind of information would require the representative to take five minutes out of his day for an internet search or a phone call. Another five minutes of research would show voter fraud is practically nonexistent in Georgia. Burkhalter could have read the Department of Justice memo on the voter ID law that came to that conclusion.

It’s quite clear the national republican strategy for victory is based on emotional manipulation and voter suppression. It’s also clear Burkhalter has bought into this mess by presenting such an absurd argument. What is unclear is why Burkhalter has bought into this mess. He either has done it because he wants to suppress participation in the political process or because he's stupid and doesn't realize what he's said. Only Rep. Burkhalter can answer this question. Please, Rep. Burkhalter, can you tell us if you're evil or just stupid?