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TexasTowelie

(112,102 posts)
Tue Sep 22, 2020, 08:13 AM Sep 2020

WTF?



Rhetorical question of the day: If you were a non-Nazi and you had to vote at the Tennessee polling place shown in tonight's meme, how much confidence would you have that your vote would be counted or that you would even be allowed to vote? In civilized states, they prohibit electioneering in the immediate vicinity of polling places but whoever said Tennessee was civilized?

If there is a sign on the door that says "We reserve the right to refuse voting to you," and it looks like there probably is, I bet it's right above the sign that says "Masks Verboten-No Social Distancing. That's Socialism." If I was being prejudiced towards the people of Tennessee, I'd say something about there also being a sign that reads "People Wearing Shoes Not Welcome" but far be it from me to go there.

Tennessee and the rest of the Confederacy have a well-known long, dark track record of discouraging and even refusing Constitutionally granted voting rights. That's a track record Trump, his party and Tennessee only want to expand upon. Just look at the vast majority of people they elect to represent them; people like Masha Blackburn. Of course, the south doesn't have a total monopoly on that sort of thing, but they have proudly flaunted it and pushed the boundaries of voter intimidation and suppression as long as they have been states. It's in their DNA. Most people in Tennessee wouldn't just shrug if they saw the picture (original picture courtesy of Bradley County Democrats) of this polling place, they'd beam proudly.

To be fair, and I'm always fair, the way the Tennessee polling place depicted in the above meme is decorated doesn't literally say votes for Democrats aren't welcome but it's easy to assume that there's a hand-cranked shredder machine and a dumpster next to the hooch still out back. Not only that, but you'll be lucky if they even have a voter registration book that includes your name if you are of the non-racist, non-Nazi, and/or everything's a hoax, political persuasion. In keeping with the Tennessee habits from previous centuries, I expect there are the traditional southern jars full of jellybeans at the door and you'll be asked to guess exactly how many jellybeans are in the jar. If you guess right, you get a ballot. If not, "No ballot for you!" If you do get a ballot and fill it out, I bet they'll either dramatically whip out a cigarette lighter and burn it right in front of you or just take it to the shredder. You'd best have an escape plan too.

Read more: https://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2020/09/midnight-meme-of-day_22.html
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Yonnie3

(17,431 posts)
1. All the Trump stuff is supposed to be removed.
Tue Sep 22, 2020, 08:24 AM
Sep 2020
https://www.live5news.com/2020/09/17/trump-store-tenn-become-early-voting-location/



<snip>

Fran Green of the Bradley County Election Commission, says she knew current tenant was selling Trump merchandise, but she says she didn’t violate election laws.

The Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office agreed if all of the Trump merchandise is removed before early voting begins.

“If it was a Biden shop, it would definitely incite me to get here at early voting and cast my vote. And I believe it’s that way with the Democratic Party. I think they are going to come in regardless of whether this is a Trump shop or not and make their vote,” Trump store shopper Tawny Sweeney said.

The store’s owner is going to have to quickly remove all Trump merchandise and signage before it can be used as a voting location.

<snip>

Tanuki

(14,918 posts)
4. The Trump Shop reportedly has a short term lease which expires
Tue Sep 22, 2020, 08:48 AM
Sep 2020

(or expired) prior to the onset of early voting, and as another poster noted, the 45-swag would be removed before the first voter entered the building. Of course the optics are terrible, but it is misleading to suggest that voters will be confronted with this mess when they show up to vote.

oldsoftie

(12,530 posts)
10. Thank you for bringing out the actual truth.
Tue Sep 22, 2020, 09:35 AM
Sep 2020

The Right is FAR worse with fake shit though, especially on FB. The shit I see every day is just ridiculous. The thing is, it doesnt change anyones mind.

Tanuki

(14,918 posts)
14. According to reputable local reporting (I live in Tennessee), the building
Tue Sep 22, 2020, 10:03 AM
Sep 2020

was a vacant former bank. There was no tenant and no conflict at the time it was leased to the election commission. The owner of the building, Bassam Issa, is an immigrant from Palestine, and is prominent in the local Muslim community and a leader of the Islamic worship center there. I don't know his politics but I do know that he has previously been slandered by tea partiers, and his worship center threatened by bigotry. Anyway, once the lease for the election time period was in place there was a gap before it was to begin, so Issa signed another tenant (the Trump Store guy) for a temporary lease, which expires before early voting begins at the site. All that ugly Trump junk will be gone before voters arrive. You would get the impression from the OP story that people had to see all that when they came there to vote but that is not the case. It will be a normal voting space with no partisan signage and no remnants of the by-then-former tenant.

usaf-vet

(6,181 posts)
7. Excuse me but WHERE ARE the army of lawyers that Biden has formed just for these voter obstructions?
Tue Sep 22, 2020, 09:09 AM
Sep 2020
Why are they not out in force for early voting? OR are they just overwhelmed and we are not hearing about them?

PLEASE GET OUT THERE NOW DURING EARLY VOTING!







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rainin

(3,011 posts)
11. Tennessee isn't going to change. We need national protections back in place
Tue Sep 22, 2020, 09:47 AM
Sep 2020

If we ever get all levers of gov't again, we need to make election security priority number 1

JohnnyRingo

(18,624 posts)
16. That's unbelievable
Tue Sep 22, 2020, 11:16 AM
Sep 2020

I see it, but my brain tells me it can't happen in even the reddest of states. Then again, it explains how Marsha Blackburn can hold office.

In Ohio, every move made by an election official is overseen and signed off by equal members of opposite parties. I wonder what the procedure is in Tennessee?

We need a new Voters Rights Act.

On edit:
I see from previous posts that it was indeed unbelievable.

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