Macon Telegraph

Opinion

October 13, 2016

Foreign language voter assistance latest move by Georgia’s Secretary of State

D.A. King

What if you don’t understand simple English but want to vote in Georgia? No problem! A recent press release from Secretary of State Brian Kemp proudly boasts of his “new video tutorials in English, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish and Vietnamese on voter registration, absentee voting by mail, advance in-person voting, and Election Day voting.”

“These new resources will help voters who are non-English speakers know how to register to vote and prepare to cast their ballot” says Kemp. “Georgia is not a “covered jurisdiction” under the federal Voting Rights Act to offer election information in other languages” Kemp tells us.

For now, actual ballots are still printed in English.

Most schoolchildren and all naturalized Americans understand that with very few exceptions, the ability to speak and understand simple English is a requirement for naturalization — and that it is a crime for non-citizens to vote in Georgia elections.

This writer phoned the Gold Dome office of Secretary Kemp last week for answers to a few questions, but the promised return call never came. So, maybe readers will have enough curiosity on the topic to call themselves. The phone number for the Georgia Secretary of State’s office is 404-656-2881.

One of the questions in mind was why Secretary Kemp limited his executive pronouncement to include only five foreign languages. Why not French, German or Somali? Why not Cantonese?

Why not at least match the “it’s good for business” inclusiveness of Gov. Deal’s Department of Driver Services, which has been issuing drivers licenses to illegal aliens since July of 2012 and offers the written drivers license exam in 10 foreign languages?

Indeed, why not fast forward and officially convert Georgia into a welcoming place to live, do business and vote by accommodating every language? If we are going to voluntarily cater to non-English speaking voters, why not all of them?

To no one’s surprise, the leftists in the illegal alien lobby were quick to offer their gratitude and applause for Kemp’s progressiveness. Along with the Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Jerry Gonzalez of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials Corp. (GALEO) immediately sent out his own hopeful press release.

“We hope this is the beginning of the Secretary of State’s Office offering more in-language voter education materials and continue to support Asian Americans, Latinos, and all people of color as we carry on our fight for full access to participation in American democracy.”

Corporate-funded GALEO is widely recognized as Georgia’s most visibly tribalist and extreme advocacy group against official English and enforcement of American immigration laws. They are threatening a federal lawsuit demanding foreign language voter ballots in Georgia.

Secretary Kemp was one of several Republicans who attended an annual “Power Breakfast” GALEO fundraiser gala in May, 2015.

In any language, this all looks like an example of what to expect from the establishment Republican promise to be more “inclusive” and their effort to be more Dem-like to stay in office.

Kemp’s videos can be viewed on his Youtube page – ‘BrianKempGA’

D.A. KING IS PRESIDENT OF THE GEORGIA-BASED DUSTIN INMAN SOCIETY.

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