Honor

Date:

From the Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto

The word “honor” is used in many ways. It is used to recognize someone. To honor someone means that recognize something that they have done. Synonyms for honor include acknowledge, commend, congratulate. The phrase “honor and glorify” appears in many religious songs.

The Medal of Honor” is the highest recognition that is given to soldiers who have served above and beyond the call of duty. An “Honorable Discharge” is given to those who have completed their military service.

Their certificates include the words “This certificate is awarded as a testimonial of honest and faithful service.”

From Merriam-Webster, “Definition of word of honor: a promise that one will do something, that something is true, etc.” The word “honorable” is used as a title indicating eminence or distinction, given especially to judges and certain high officials. Some of the synonyms for “honorable” are morally correct, honest, ethical, principled, decent, virtuous, trustworthy, truthful, fair. Having “honor” is about how you treat people and not just friends but strangers too.

As we are in the midst of voting right now a person deserving of the term honor would be encouraging all to vote, even those who have different philosophies. America is supposed to be governed by the “will of the people,” expressed by the vote of the people. Adherence to that principle implies that all the people should be allowed, encouraged, and enabled to vote. If you do not allow, encourage, and enable everyone to vote, you are not deserving of the term “honor.”

Thoughts of honor have occurred to me because of the way political parties are treating voting. Voting is one of the greatest privileges we have as Americans but one political party actively tries to limit voting of other Americans who do not share their particular political philosophy. They try to suppress the vote in many ways. They limit voting locations. They close polling placing in poor neighborhoods making it more difficult and expensive for the poor to vote. The governor of Texas has allowed only one ballot drop off location per county, counties with millions of voters and hundreds of square miles. The Postmaster General of the United States has crippled the post office just when mail-in-voting is beginning. Some states have made it difficult to get identification cards by choosing hard to get to locations and then try to require those hard to get IDs in order to vote.

In California, the GOP has placed unofficial ballot collection boxes that will aid them in suppressing votes. While there is no identification of the voter on ballots, there is identification of the voter on the official envelopes that must be used to return absentee ballots. The GOP could identify the voter by using these envelopes placed in the unofficial boxes to determine with which party the voter is registered and thus simply not deliver selected ballots their destination to be counted.

It is voter suppression pure and simple. There is simply no honor in suppressing the vote. Politicians who pursue these suppression tactics have no honor.

I am proud the Democrats of Hemet-San Jacinto have pursued a policy to encourage all to register and vote. We assist all who want to register regardless of the party they wish to affiliate with. I am proud that Democrats across America support everyone having easy access to registration and voting. I hope that the will of the people is expressed in this election. The honor of America is at stake.

-Dick Gale

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