Secret Ballots And Voter Shame

I'm in a better mood today. Not because the pain and the hurt of bigot-driven vote isn't there, but because I've personally learned a few things over the past two days, although I really only want to focus on one right now.

I've realized that there is a major flaw in the secret ballot system: if someone who holds a hate-filled opinion is given the opportunity to express that opinion with ZERO chance of repercussion, they will do so. And that's exactly what secret ballots do.

The reason it's so powerful win a legislative body, such as Maine's or California's, passes a law such as marriage equality is because their vote is always and forever on record. It's also the same reason it's hard in most places to pass it congressionaly. But secret ballots during popular voting sessions allow the average Joe to express his bigotry with impunity.

Now I'm not saying the secret ballot program should go away completely. I feel that it is a very important process for elected officials and for tax initiatives. People need to know there will be no retribution in those elections. But once something has been defined as a Right, it should not be up for public debate. Sue for it all you want, but then it's all in the open.

Rights are inalienable. They should not be eligible for public discourse because there is nothing to debate. Both Maine's law and California's Supreme Court decision defined marriage as an inalianable right. Since when did this country start allowing secretive votes on those?

The sad truth is that even today, if you put to a public, secret vote on whether or not interacial couples should be allowed to marry, most states would prohibit it. Why? Because the bigots would be allowed to vote with impunity, denying rights to people then going back home without anyone knowing the wiser.

This is also why it is important to make public the names of donors and signers for political campaigns. If company A or person B knew their name would go on record as a hate mongerer, they would be much less likely to do so. Also, those ignorant enought to follow through would have to deal with the societal pressure of the bigotry.

Marriage Equality will go to the Supreme Court. And even though there are some obsurb terds on that bench (I'm looking at you Scalia), I think they will have the sense to make marriage the law of the land. Why? Because they understand law is separate from emotion and theocratic ideals, first of all, but more importantly because their votes are registered and they have to justify them. They can't secretly express their hatred and expect to skate by.

Our day is coming.