The ignorance of some voters

This column was so rude, suggesting on Election Day that horrifically ill-informed people might do themselves and their country a favor by choosing not to vote. A few readers responded as if in pain. Angry phone calls were made, and letters were written calling for heads to roll. The culture has been told so many times that voting is inherently good, even for those who can't comprehend the ballot, that any idea to the contrary is viewed with contempt.
A fun post-election activity, however, involves watching man-on-the-street interviews on YouTube, featuring people explaining their support for the two major candidates. An NBC affiliate spoke to one woman, for example, who had taken her daughter out of school Nov. 5 to hear President-elect Barack Obama speak:
"It was the most memorable time of my life," the Obama voter said of the speech. "It was a touching moment."
Reporter: "Why?"
Obama voter: "Because I never thought this day would ever happen. I won't have to worry about putting gas in my car. I won't have to worry about paying my mortgage."
A video from the organization HowObamaGotElected.com asked 12 Obama voters the same 12 questions. The results are hysterical or sad, depending on one's mood. All 12, when asked which party controls Congress, answer "Republicans." None were familiar with the names "Nancy Pelosi" or "Harry Reid." Each, however, could answer the question "which candidate wore clothes that their party spent $150,000 on?" And each could answer "which of the four candidates has a pregnant teenage daughter?" The questioner asked which candidate claimed to have campaigned in all 57 states (Obama), and all answered "Sarah Palin." Few had heard of Bill Ayers.
The Howard Stern show sent a reporter to speak with New York Obama voters. He asked questions like "how about Obama being pro life. Do you support him in that?"
"Yes, I do. I support him in that case," one Obama supporter said.
Reporter: "And if Obama wins, would you have any problem with Sarah Palin being vice president?"
Obama voter: "No I wouldn't, not at all. Not at all."
Reporter: "Obama says he's anti-stem cell research, how do you feel about that?"
Obama voter: "I wouldn't do that either. I'm anti-stem cell, yeah."
And on, and on, and on. The reporter pretended in each case that McCain's platform was Obama's, and the Obama supporters didn't know the difference.
Ignorant McCain supporters were equally easy to find, on and around Election Day. One ill-informed voter, holding a sign for McCain, was asked to mention one aspect of McCain's record that he liked.
McCain voter: "Uhhmm (long pause)."
Reporter: "One thing in his record?"
McCain voter: "Why don't you look at the records of Obama and some of what he's done?"
Reporter: "You want to ask me a question?"
McCain voter: "You're smokin' his dope, man."
Another McCain voter said: "Barack Obama, from age one to six was with Islamic, uh, Islamic, uh..."
Reporter: "You think he's a terrorist?"
McCain voter: "I think he's a one-man terror cell."
A McCain voter in Ohio said: "When you got a Negro running for president, he ain't a first stringer. He's definitely a second stringer."
Another McCain voter, asked about Obama, said: "He's related to a known terrorist. He must support terrorists."
And another McCain voter, asked about Obama, said: "Just the whole damn Muslim thing."
Reporter: "You think he (Obama) is a terrorist?"
McCain supporter: "He's got the blood lines. Just think about the name."
These observations are borne out by research, as described by syndicated columnist Kathleen Parker on the facing page. Stupid people abound. And when they choose to vote, they're powerfully stupid.