Voter suppression

   So, the Nazi's in the 30's promised to the public that they would turn the economy around by suppressing the communist voters and destroy Marxism.  Voter suppression appeals to those who do not value democracy, but rather control, self-promotion above or at the expense of others, and the eventual full subjugation of those not like them.  It does not come out of a value for ALL citizens within a nation.
   The Nazi's scapegoated the Jews for the nation's problems (economic mostly), and did all that they could, including eventual violence at the polls, to suppress Jewish voters and vilify and discredit them as being "invalid" citizens, eventually to push them out and annihilate them.  For some in our nation, the scapegoats are our black and brown sisters and brothers, and the poor who have been relegated that status, in part, by the policies that benefit the middle and upper economic classes in our nation.  Even those who have voted before (especially those who did in 2008), are being scrutinized with extreme prejudice.  Rather than look at the problem of income-disparities between those who struggle to survive and those who are given an exorbitant percentage of profit and address the higher percentage of our national budget in corporate welfare (that we instead call "entitlements"), and the fact that "job creators" took governmental hand-outs and THEN laid off much of the workforce for their own bonuses and profits to stockholders, rather than take a little less profit for them selves, we blame the small percentage of the nation on public assistance, the smaller percentage who perpetrate fraud among them, the "illegal" aliens in the nation (upon which we rely for cheap labor) and those who organized in labor to ensure them selves fair wages, sabbath rest and job security.  The desire among those in power is a return to the robber-baron, captains of industry days of sweat shops and barely subsistence level living among laborers for the sake of excessive profit for the owners and their cronies.  All political and economic efforts are aimed at that goal, and have been very effective of late.
   Those who are perpetrating these efforts to obtain all the power and wealth for them selves have now raised the fear level over "voter fraud", when everyone knows, except those duped by their Nazi-like fear tactics ( as in, fear raised in 30's Germany over "the Jewish problem"), that the numbers do not bear out any great problem with voter fraud.  It is aimed at those who have less means to provide what they consider to be PROPER identification.  Then, the tricks begin at the polls, like in Florida for two Presidential elections, that would exclude VALID votes from the count.  Then the "Jim Crow- like" poll games begin at the hands of those whose values show in it.
   "By their fruits you will know them." - (Jesus)  Do they value democracy, or only their own idolatrous devotion to unchecked and un-regulated capitalism - spelled G-R-E-E-D?  "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." - (Jesus)   Do they value a nation OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE and FOR THE PEOPLE (ALL the people), or just the wealthy and powerful (and mostly White) and those who aspire to be like them?  Do they value democracy, or personal gain at any cost (to others) and by any means?  "What does it profit a person (corporation or nation) to gain the whole world and lose (his/her/its) soul?" (Jesus)
   End the mean-spirited, bigoted, self-promotional, exclusive, classist, racist, sexist, homophobic, nationalistic (as if WE were the original inhabitants of this land), xenophobic practices.  Say "NO!" to those who would twist, skew, manipulate and corrupt the democratic process to disenfranchise some for their own benefit!  Speak, write, demonstrate, facebook, tweet and VOTE for DEMOCRACY and support the rights of ALL people in this nation... that is, if you love Democracy above unchecked Capitalism, and love people above personal profit.
Pastor Jamie