so, i registered a lot of voters today, even though none are likely to vote.

[mopinko]

i helped to run a mock election (league of women voters, and the ivi-ipo, are trying to run the largest mock election ever in chicago high schools.) and i helped to register the kids that were old enough to vote. but the school was for emh and disabled kids.
i guess there was quite a lot of resistance to the idea. many parents did not want their kids registered, for fear that it would undermine their guardianship, even though they were assured that it did not. probably none of these kids are going to ever have the awareness and skills to even successfully fill out the ballot in a way that would count. but the point is, who am i to say?
i just couldn't see that any of these kids were any less likely to make an intelligent choice than the 20M+ that are probably going to vote for mcsame. maybe one or two will try to figure this stuff out, maybe some candidate will choose to represent these kids specifically. what the school is really trying to teach these kids is life skills. some will be able to do the jobs that they are being trained for. some will understand things in ways that i don't.
and what could be a more important life skill that to be a good citizen?

[Mind_your_head]

1. emh means? something? mentally handicapped?

I would worry that someone could steal their vote or vote FOR them (absentee ballot).

On many levels, I don't think this is/was a good idea/thing.

[mopinko]

2. educatably mentally handicapped

we worried about that, too. but then, isn't that the case in a lot of marriages? or other relationships? who am i to judge that?

[Mind_your_head]

4. Thanks for elucidating what EMH means (although you should have done so

in your original post and not make us who don't regularly deal in this area 'guess' what it might mean - it's only polite/responsible - and it's not just YOU that a am saying this to, by the way).

No, it's NOT the same with marriages - and other relationships - geez! NO CORRELATION AT ALL!

Mentally handicapped persons TOTALLY rely upon/trust their caregivers. They don't/can't think very well clearly on their own ~ THAT IS WHY THEY ARE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED! They can't THINK properly on their OWN!

Thanks for "trying", but registering these folks to vote, unless they asked to do so specifically ~ which I HIGHLY DOUBT WOULD EVER HAPPEN ~ is something that is just ASKING to be ABUSED.

[jamesatemple]

5. Don't "misunderestimate" the mentally handicapped!

They, too, are citizens and, with sufficient family support and wealth, could become President. After all, some have struggled through "My Pet Goat" and have a clear understanding of playing soldier, dictator, et al.

Some hopeful EMH's have a fortuitous proximity to a foreign country, the simple vision of which gives them ample experience in foreign policy.

[mopinko]

7. sorry about that acronym

i hate it when people do that.

but your point, well, that is sorta the story of their lives, isn't it. at the mercy of their caregivers. at the mercy of many. but ya know, what if they are part of a loving family, with their best interests are heart. what if there is a candidate that makes an issue of the rights of such people? don't you think it would make a difference to them to be able to understand, and to vote for that person?
they are preparing them for small jobs, like they have a car wash and a little greenhouse, and they have a contract to take care of plants in a state owned building. if they aren't being abused in those situations, why would they be abused in the voting booth.

few of them will ever try to vote. none will vote without help. but there are eligible. and maybe what we did will give them a little better idea about how the world works, and what it takes to bring change.
and in the age of bush, i just can't say that someone is too dumb.

[hay rick]

3. Mentally handicapped not morally handicapped.

GWB was semi-elected and re-elected by millions of mentally unhandicapped voters. I don't think the mentally handicapped could do worse if they tried.

Seriously, the life skills lesson was probably interesting and exciting for the participants. If they get the basic concept of being a good citizen- recognizing not only that they have rights, but also responsibilities to people other than themselves- they will be way ahead of a good portion of the "normal" population.

[mopinko]

6. that's sorta what i thought about it.

in the age of bush, who am i to say who is or isn't "able" to vote.