WHAT ARE WE AFRAID OF?

Part of human nature is to avoid light being shined upon what we do. Most of the burglaries happen in the nighttime when darkness can conceal the crime. It is a sad fact that so many of us humans let temptation get the better of us. That is why places of business such as banks and retail stores ask for identification when someone asks to cash a check or attempts to purchase something.

It seems we are all in a hurry these days and it is easy to get annoyed when we have to take the time to prove who we say we are. If we really think about it, that little amount of time can also protect us as well. If a bank didn’t ask for some identification from someone wanting to withdraw some money from an account, crooks would have a heyday at someone’s expense. That someone could be you or me. I hope that these illustrations will help explain the need for proper identification. In an earlier column, I wrote about a bill before the Oklahoma state legislature that would have required anyone wanting to vote to provide some source of identification; sadly that bill has died in this session of the legislature.

Recently the Supreme Court ruled in favor of an Indiana voter ID law that requires photo identification at the polls, citing the need to reduce voter fraud. Here in Oklahoma, Senate Bill 1150 provided for a long list of identification options, including a free, state-issued voter ID card, a copy of a utility bill or a driver’s license. It also included language that would have allowed Oklahomans to vote without identification if they signed an affidavit attesting to their identity. The bill was killed by Senate Democrats in a party line vote.

I feel that any means that we can use to insure fair and honest elections should be embraced. When we hear of some scheme or underhanded ploy to get some politician elected we get outraged, but it doesn’t seem to last long. I guess that we Oklahomans need to just get used to the good ole boy system and not expect simple insurances to be implemented. Maybe we need to save some electricity in the state capital and turn off the lights. Evidently many lawmakers are afraid of the light.