YOUR SAY: Is it time for Wilson to resign from the Board of Elections?
I shudder to think that the most precious right we have as American citizens in Macon-Bibb County is under the leadership of the author of the Oct. 23, Special to The Telegraph, Rinda Wilson. She is the chairperson of the Macon-Bibb Board of Elections. Her article, besides being an outright castigation of all the people who fall within the Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriages, was an onslaught on all voters who identify with and vote for Democratic candidates.
Her article was a classic exhibition of the disgustingly unpleasant imaginations which caused many of our past racial problems in this country. Her unwarranted fears designate her true feelings just as much as Edgar Allen Poe's character in the "Tell Tale Heart" singled him out for what he had done.
As a high school student I read of the horrors predicted when the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954 ruled that "separate but equal is unconstitutional," which unleashed a tirade upon the right for equal education. The wicked imaginations then set our country back for years and indeed much damage to American lives was perpetrated because of that type of contrivance then and now it seems that Wilson with her tirade of fluidity has the potential of doing the same once again. This type of speech has been dangerous in the past and I submit that it is even more dangerous now.
Connecting what the Supreme Court has ruled as a matter of law to voting for Democrats is ludicrous and absurd. All Democrats and those who vote for Democrats do not embrace the four obnoxious examples she highlighted to illustrate her awkward and cumbersome metaphor. The fact is that many Democrats agree with some of that which was sane in her statement. However, for her to make such a bold pronouncement of her own phantasm about the direction of society, is analogous to my listing examples of sexual and marriage infidelity among Republicans, such as:
Former Republican front runner for president, Herman Cain's sexual assault of former subordinates of which three women came forward each with different allegations of a sexual nature.
Republican Chris Myers, who was alleged to have paid a gay prostitute and pictures surfaced as proof.
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, acknowledged having an affair in the 1990s while married.
South Carolina Republican Gov. Mark Sanford, who abandoned all duties and family without a word of explanation while off chasing a woman in Argentina.
Republican Sen. John Ensign, who admitted to having an affair with a married staffer.
Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig, an anti-gay Republicans who got caught in a gay scandal, after attempting to solicit sex in an airport bathroom from an undercover male agent.
Florida Republican Rep. Mark Foley, was involved in a texting scandal with male House pages.
New York Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani, whose ex-wife Donna Hanover accused him of "notorious adultery."
Republican Rep. Ed Schrock was against all same-sex equality, including marriage equality and gays in the military, however, he resigned after being caught on tape soliciting sex from a male prostitute.
Republican Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert was paying a former male student in order to keep quiet about allegations of sexual misconduct.
Our own Republican state Rep. Allen Peake admitted having an account on infidelity website Ashley Madison.
Now, I would never declare that all who vote for Republicans support such behavior as this. Republican sex scandals are most abhorrent because of the party's commitment to pro-family and conservative values. The Republican Party led the way in the '80s and '90s with a multitude of sex scandals and continues to do so. I don't think that any well-meaning Democrat would blame this behavior on the party or insist that those who vote for Republicans are supporting it. It is a shame that Wilson, chairperson of the Macon-Bibb Board of Election, has made this despicable declaration concerning Democratic voters, and now it is our responsibility to ask that any public officeholder who espouse such detestable and hateful views step down from public office.
It is her right to be as obnoxious as she desires, but certainly not as a public officeholder representing all of us both Republicans and Democrats. Editorial letter writer Laurie Lankin was right -- we can do better. Rinda Wilson, please do us all a favor, resign.
Quinton Tard is chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Macon-Bibb Board of Elections.
This story was originally published November 11, 2015 at 9:52 PM with the headline "YOUR SAY: Is it time for Wilson to resign from the Board of Elections? ."