Metro Voice News Celebrating Faith, Family & Community
Folks that live outside cities may be surprised to learn that they don’t have access to photocopiers.
Vice President Kamala Harris continues to face criticism over remarks that she made during an interview with BET where she claimed that it was “almost impossible” for rural Americans to photocopy their IDs to prove who they are when it comes time to vote.
Photocopiers were invented in 1937.
The remarks from Harris come as numerous polls have found that the overwhelming majority of Americans support voter ID laws. Harris also suggested that the government provides people with everything that they need, saying, “it is through the voting process, through the ballot box, that we get all the things that we need.”
When asked if she would support voter ID laws, Harris responded, “I don’t think that we should underestimate what that could mean. Because in some people’s mind, that means well, you’re going to have to Xerox or photocopy your ID to send it in to prove you are who you are. Well, there are a whole lot of people, especially people who live in rural communities, who don’t, there’s no Kinkos, there’s no OfficeMax near them.
Kinkos ceased to exist in 2008 when it was absorbed by FedEx.
“People have to understand that when we’re talking about voter ID laws, be clear about who you have in mind and what would be required of them to prove who they are. Of course, people have to prove who they are, but not in a way that makes it almost impossible for them to prove who they are.”
Harris also made unfounded claims about voter suppression.
“It’s so fundamental. In our country right now,” she said. “I believe there are 380 laws that are being presented to suppress or make it difficult for people to vote. And, you know, we’ve been saying this for years, I mean, people lived and died for our right to vote, it is through the voting process, through the ballot box that we get all the things that we need. And there are intentional attempts to deprive in particular, black and brown and students and Native Americans and Asians, the access to voting, voting is a right. There’s no question about that. We are not fighting for the, we have the right.
“What they’re trying to do is, is make the right meaningless by depriving access. Think about what they’re doing in these states. They’re basically punishing people for standing in line to vote. They’re punishing people for standing in line to vote. They’re saying, well if you’re going to be standing in that line for all those hours, you can’t have any water or any food.”
Critics pointed out that the federal government regularly requires individuals to submit photocopies of documents and that many mundane activities require photo IDs. Libraries, Covid shots, airlines, tickets at will call for sporting games, liquor purchases, gas stations when using a credit card, applying for welfare, picking up prescription medicine, opening a bank account and at least 24 other instances require photo ID.
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice
