Hypocrisy

                Hypocrisy is defined as pretending to have virtues, moral standards, religious beliefs, personal standards, etc. without having personal behavior that conforms to those standards or beliefs.  A hypocrite claims to have desirable or acceptable behavior in public but acts differently in their private life.  An example of a hypocrite is a person who claims to have a strong and happy marriage but has a mistress on the side.

                I recently read about the “Moral March on Raleigh” that took place in North Carolina.  The March was coordinated by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).  The organizers called for the march and rally because they were angry with policies approved by the GOP in 2013; these policies included a stricter voter I.D. law.

                The organizers wanted the march and rally to be “conducted in a peaceful and non-violent manner and issued a list of important do’s and don’ts for the marchers.  About two-thirds of the way down the list is this important counsel:  “Do bring photo identification (driver’s license, passport, or other valid photo i.d.) with you and keep it on your person at all times.” 

                This march apparently has been held on the second Saturday of February every year since 2007 “for a `mass people’s assembly’ to protest what it views as unfair public policies and injustices.  Among the five fundamental demands for this year’s march, according to The Charlotte (N.C.) Post:  “Protect and expand voting rights for people of color, women, immigrants, the elderly and students to safeguard fair democratic representation.”

                Governor Pat McCrory signed some major election reforms in August 2013, which included strict photo voter I.D. as well as changes to early voting, same-day registration and pre-registration.  The US Human Rights Network considers these reforms to be “immoral and unconstitutional policies” signed by the Governor.

                The first word I thought of when I read the above information was hypocrite.  I understood that the reason why liberals do not like stricter voter I.D. laws is because the requirement to have photo I.D. is too difficult for people to obtain.  If people – young and old – have photo I.D.s for the march and rally, why can’t they use the same I.D. to vote?  Is it easier to get photo I.D. to march than it is to get photo I.D. to vote?  How can people have photo I.D. for marches and not for voting?