To: AV Press
Date: 02/2003
Re: Mental Hanging Chad (aka: What DO You Want, Anyway?)
Explanatory foreword: We had a local balloting regarding the imposition of a "street lighting fee" (aka tax increase) to keep the lights burning in one particular district, and the measure was defeated. Judging by the letters, it seemed as if everyone was unhappy no matter which way they voted. One of the prime lines of complaint went something like "when I voted not to keep the lights on I didn't know it meant they would turn them off". This was not long after the Florida election fiasco, by the way.
There was plenty of guffawing about the self-admitted inability of many Florida voters, all Democrats, to comprehend the simple process of casting a vote. I was right in there snickering with the rest of America.
Now I see we appear to have a similar comprehension gap right here in the AV, as documented in AV Press coverage of the street lighting issue. Lets see...we have the guy who had been complaining bitterly about having street lights illuminating his property and who has now segued directly into complaining bitterly that they were turned off (I'm not clear on how he voted). Then there are the people who voted to turn them off, and are now incredulous and up in arms because it happened. And finally there is the group who say they thought that not voting at all was the same as voting "yes".
Please don't tell me these folks are Republicans. I don't want to know.