When your wallet has gone missing, which do you prefer to think? That you've lost it, or that it's been stolen? That it's lost, of course. Because losing a wallet is your own fault; if you can remember where you last had it, you can go back and try to find it. Or, if somebody else finds it, it might even be returned.
When your wallet has gone missing, which do you prefer to think? That you've lost it, or that it's been stolen? That it's lost, of course. Because losing a wallet is your own fault; if you can remember where you last had it, you can go back and try to find it. Or, if somebody else finds it, it might even be returned. And, if there was a bit of cash that's been taken, you won't even mind. In fact, you'll probably be glad there was a little something to make it worth the finder's trouble to send the wallet back.
And even if you never find it and have to go to the trouble to replace your identification and credit cards and whatever important information you carried around on those little chits of paper that probably swelled the wallet and made it hard to fit in some pockets (which may be why you lost it), that's just a time-consuming nuissance and might even teach you to be more careful in the future.
But, if it's been stolen, that's another matter entirely. Even after all your identification has been replaced, you can't be sure for months and maybe even years, that the thief won't use your personal information to commit crimes against you and others. You'll have to be constantly aware, perhaps even on the edge of terror, that the thievery will go on and on. That's the nature of theft. It's an invasion of privacy, especially if the things taken are essentially worthless chits of plastic or bits of paper on which you've made a record of your thoughts and intentions.
The same is true of a stolen vote. Or maybe it's even worse. Because a vote is really a record of your consent to be governed, to be represented by a particular person. So, when that representation of your intent is stolen and given to someone else, every trace of your choice is taken and, at the risk of being dramatic, the very essence of democratic society is destroyed.
Which is why Rev. Jesse Jackson got it exactly right when he said we can live with a loss, but we cannot live with a stolen election.
Posted by Hannah at December 8, 2004 08:27 AM