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  In 1966, I
remember going to Woolworth's with my mother to buy a birthday present for my
brother. My initial attention was focused on the food counter to the left of
the entrance. I would do anything to eat one of their hot fudge sundaes. My
mother, who was never one to mince words, quickly snapped, "We're not here to
eat." She gave me the raised eyebrow. "We're here to get your brother a
present."
I sheepishly agreed, "I know, mom." She gave me a stick
of Juicy Fruit gum to chew on instead. They didn't have any decent model kits.
We had more board games back home than what they stocked on their shelves. A
smile emerged on my face when we came to the Matchbox car display. My mother
preempted any discussion and shook her head no. It didn't take long before my
mom realized that the toy section had more to offer me than my brother. We
seemed to wander aimlessly around the store, making an obvious detour away from
the pet section. Eventually, we reached the front of the store. Nothing. As my
mother took a second to figure out what to do next, "IT" caught my eye.
Prominently displayed in the bookrack was a new paperback adventure of "Batman
and Robin."
"MOM!" I quickly retrieved the gem and offered it up for
consideration.
"I don't know," she replied, "Are you sure your brother will like
it?"
"Come on mom. You know the TV show. It's a hit!" My mother didn't
seem too convinced. I proceeded to give her every possible and plausible
reassurance. I ended with a final plea, "Come on mom. Trust me, he'll love it."
She relented and made the purchase. I took great pride in carrying the bag out
to the car. On the way home, my mother gave me a stern look in the rearview
mirror, when she caught me leafing through the book like it was mine. I
promptly put "the gift" back in the bag. It turned out that my brother hated
Batman and Robin. I was selfish and bought something that I liked as opposed to
something he could use or enjoy.
Later that night, my brother flipped
the book over to me and said, "You can keep your gift. I'll never read it." He
paused. "Maybe I'll return you the favor on your birthday." I started to
apologize, but he was in no mood to hear it. In the end, my brother never
returned "my favor" and I didn't read the book. In fact, I never touched it
again. I felt terrible. It was a hard lesson to learn.
I share this
experience because it is perhaps the best way I can sum up the State
Legislature's total selfishness when it comes to the issue of election reform.
Their resistance to amend election law has led to inconsistencies in its
interpretation and implementation. Many counties have delayed action at the
local level until the state makes the changes required to fully comply and
implement the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA). After more than 200 years
in the history of our state and country, New Yorkers with disabilities deserve
and have a legal right to vote privately and independently. This is not an
option. The state must ensure full access to voting machines, the ballot, and
polling places.
The Legislature has offered up a wide variety of "plausible
reassurances" in an attempt to convince the public that they are doing us all a
"favor." In reality, their actions represent a very selfish act. They are more
obsessed with the perpetuation of their own incumbencies and house majorities
than the voting needs of citizens.
I was seven-years old when I made my mistake.
What is the State Legislature's excuse?
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