Georgia's Primaries 2022

Last week while speaking to my daughter I was reminded that early voting for Georgia primaries was in progress. Actual Primaries Election day is May 24, 2022. I thought it was odd that I did not receive an absentee ballot in the mail even though I signed up to receive one for all future elections. I try to believe that there is always a rational explanation for everything even when that reason is not immediately clear. So when I did not receive an absentee voting ballot for the upcoming elections, I opted to go vote in person.

Truth is with all the hoopla and accusations about voter/vote suppression,  one could quickly jump to the assumption that my not receiving the ballot in the mail is apart of those efforts. I have no way of knowing for sure if I was the only one who did not get an absentee ballot in the mail. 

Trying to remember if I was required to request one every time there was an election but I am pretty sure that I checked the box requesting future absentee ballots be mailed to me at the time I filled out the form. Maybe it was just for the presidential election and primaries are not included. But that seems crazy to me. Anyone who has been approved to receive an absentee ballot for the presidential elections should also be approved to receive one for all elections.  I actually received 2 identical ballots in the mail for the presidential elections. Of course I only returned one.

Whether or not my not receiving an absentee ballot in the mail was on purpose or not, I am glad I had the presence of mind to go vote despite the hardship it entailed. I felt I needed to say something just in case there are others out there who are waiting on the ballot to come in the mail. While it took great effort on my part to actually go vote in person I am sure there are those who can not go physically and therefore will not cast a vote.

I don't readily know how to fix this issue but thought writing about it will shed some light on an issue that may not be obvious. Hopefully someone who can do something about this will see this post. If you know someone who is unable to physically go out and vote, take steps to see what you can do to aid them in casting their vote.  It would be a shame if everyone who is entitled to vote via an absentee ballot were to lose that opportunity due to an oversight or worst. I'm just saying. I got issues, what about you?)i(

Brian Kemp for Governor? I don't think so!!

 

So the other day a popular local news channel announced that Georgia no longer requires a carry permit for a concealed weapon. "Ok" I thought. "How interesting. What brought that about?" You may already know that nothing happens in a vacuum. So I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. Did not have to wait long as a few days later it was reported by that same local news channel that the crime rate in Atlanta was at an "all time high." You think? What did you think was going to happen when you removed the requirements for carrying a gun? I don't know what elite person has Brian Kemp in their pocket that persuaded him to lift the need for a carry permit for a concealed weapon but that was clearly a bad idea.

I am sure there are other factors that contributed to the crime rate increase in Atlanta, but I promise you that this decision only added to the issue.  In what universe is allowing anyone the freedom to carry a conceal weapon with out a permit is a good thing? I am lost for words. I just know that come election time, Governor Kemp will not be getting my vote. I need a leader who can put the need of the people ahead of his own political agenda. Someone who sees the welfare of the community as priority more than lining his pocket. 

Everyday someone dies as a result of gun violence. It is hard enough to keep up with the people we know has a gun. Now we have to worry about the ones who may be concealing one without a permit. Now everybody can carry a gun without prior evaluation of their mental capacity to do so. No background check required. No history of past violence evaluated. Just go out and buy a gun and you good. If you ask me, we are less safe now. It could be the clerk at the courthouse who had a bad day and just whips it out. Or the bus boy at the local restaurant who got pissed of because he got a lousy tip. Who knows what is about to be unleashed. But one thing is for sure, it won't be good. There was a reason why a carry permit was required in the first place. Did that reason suddenly make no sense?

Well since we getting rid of senseless reasons and the laws that supported them how about revisiting why I need to renew my drivers license every year or why I need to have it on me while operating a vehicle? Times have changed right? I mean back in the day the only way a police officer knew for sure you were authorized (had training) to operate a vehicle safely was by you showing proof of a driver's license. Now we have advanced technology were an officer can download your whole history with just a touch of a button. He can tell if your car insurance is up to date as well as if you have any outstanding warrants. All from the comfort of his cruiser. So tell me again why in this day and age people are still being hauled into court because they did not have their valid driver's license on them at the time they were operating a vehicle and their driver's license was not suspended or expired? Did they suddenly forgot how to drive? Did they develop amnesia and could not remember their name? I have lived at the same address for 25 years. My name, eye color, and smile has been consistently the same. My weight too, as no one bothers to verify it short of asking me. So for all intent and purposes I have been a solid 175 lbs for the past 27 years. You think the officer who pulled me over cares about my weight or eye color accuracy? Hell no. All I am saying is that the thought process to arrive at the decision to revoke the carry law has to be flawed.

Georgia is home to more than the rich and elite. We have people who are homeless. People who are poor and people who are what some refer to as "middle class". A person's social status should not determine how much protection they get under the law. We are all human beings. We all put on our drawers/underwear one leg at a time. We all deserve to feel safe no matter who we are. Brian Kemp has failed Georgia in more ways than one. This banishment of the conceal weapon permit is the last straw for me. I'm just saying - I got issues. What about you?)i(