# Hillary makes bogus claim of racism in Alabama. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 18, 2015, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983 "2015-10-18T05:35:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/241 "2015-10-19T15:53:37Z")
Puerto Rico invalidated all of its birth certificates a few years ago, requiring huge numbers of Puerto Ricans to re-apply for them–which of course required a bunch of other documentation that people are even less likely to have, and money. I had a client who had to pay to fly to Puerto Rico to sort out the mess and get her birth certificate. There are a lot of stories like that. We’re not talking huge numbers on an absolute level. Maybe not even enough to affect the outcome of an election. But it’s enough to outweigh any of the reasons offered for voter ID regimes, which mostly boil down to paranoid fears about immigrants. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/242 "2015-10-19T15:55:55Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > You don’t have all your vital records on a surgically implanted chip, backups to the cloud, multiple copies in safe deposit boxes all over the world and armed security guards covering every human interaction you have? When I lost my wallet, I needed my birth certificate to get a new drivers license. Unfortunately, I had been born on the lovely island of Guam. I would suggest that if anyone else out there hails from Guam, they start the process of retrieving their birth certificate _now_. It took forever to get ahold of the right department, to find out what days of the month they might decide to come in, to reach them personally(voicemail? What is voicemail?)…and when we finally got ahold of a real person who was actually in charge of what we needed, what they needed from _me_ to release the birth certificate was to fax over…a state issued picture ID. :smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack::smack: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/243 "2015-10-19T15:57:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > When I lost my wallet, Damn, you’re careless. How can you face yourself in the morning? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/244 "2015-10-19T15:58:07Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > No, I just have my document butler take care of it. Damn-I decided to have a monkey butler instead. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/245 "2015-10-19T15:59:58Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Damn, you’re careless. How can you face yourself in the morning? 😃 I use the bathroom mirror. And you? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/246 "2015-10-19T16:01:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > I use the bathroom mirror. And you? 😃 I use a polished steel plate. Mirrors are breakable. And it would be my fault. _sobs_ ETA: And this is drifting off from the debate. It’s fun, though. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/247 "2015-10-19T16:05:13Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Fire. > Flood. > Homelessness. > Lost while moving. > Theft. > > All of these things can happen, even to the most responsible of human beings. They can happen, but they are exceedingly rare. Surely you’re not suggesting that the poor, rural, African-American Alabamans without birth certificates are all afflicted by such problems. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/248 "2015-10-19T16:08:26Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > Puerto Rico invalidated all of its birth certificates a few years ago, requiring huge numbers of Puerto Ricans to re-apply for them–which of course required a bunch of other documentation that people are even less likely to have, and money. I had a client who had to pay to fly to Puerto Rico to sort out the mess and get her birth certificate. Puerto Ricans cannot vote for President, don’t have any Senators, and only have a non-voting delegate in the House. So relevance? ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/249 "2015-10-19T16:10:38Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > They can happen, but they are exceedingly rare. Surely you’re not suggesting that the poor, rural, African-American Alabamans without birth certificates are all afflicted by such problems. Are you suggesting that anyone that has experienced such a tragedy just lose their right to vote? If your house burned down, then just screw you, you don’t get to participate in our democracy anymore? Is that it? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/250 "2015-10-19T16:11:49Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > They can happen, but they are exceedingly rare. Surely you’re not suggesting that the poor, rural, African-American Alabamans without birth certificates are all afflicted by such problems. Instead of playing this “No, that isn’t it. No _that_ isn’t it” game, why don’t you give us your best guess as to why you think they might not have their birth certificates handy? Stop Jaqqining off and give us your own opinion. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/251 "2015-10-19T16:12:14Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > They can happen, but they are exceedingly rare. Surely you’re not suggesting that the poor, rural, African-American Alabamans without birth certificates are all afflicted by such problems. [2009-2013](http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/files/research/nfpa-reports/occupancies/oshomes.pdf?la=en) 357,000 house fires per year average. 2470 deaths 12,890 injured $6.9 billion property damage ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/252 "2015-10-19T16:12:38Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > Are you suggesting that anyone that has experienced such a tragedy just lose their right to vote? If your house burned down, then just screw you, you don’t get to participate in our democracy anymore? Is that it? No, you pay the $10 and get a new one. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/253 "2015-10-19T16:13:09Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Puerto Ricans cannot vote for President, don’t have any Senators, and only have a non-voting delegate in the House. So relevance? Puerto Ricans cannot become US Citizens? I wasn’t aware of that immigration barrier. You do realize that a person born in Puerto Rico who later becomes a US citizen will still have to get their birth certificate from Puerto Rico due to it being invalidated right? They will still have been born there. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/254 "2015-10-19T16:13:39Z")
[Flood damage/fatalities by year.](http://www.nws.noaa.gov/hic/) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/255 "2015-10-19T16:15:14Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > No, you pay the $10 and get a new one. And you have already been told that it isn’t always as simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/256 "2015-10-19T16:21:04Z")
[2010-2,159,878 burglaries](https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/property-crime/burglarymain) [2010-367,832 robberies](https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2010/crime-in-the-u.s.-2010/violent-crime/robberymain) (43.2% street/highway) ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/257 "2015-10-19T16:24:49Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [2009-2013](http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/files/research/nfpa-reports/occupancies/oshomes.pdf?la=en) > 357,000 house fires per year average. > 2470 deaths > 12,890 injured > $6.9 billion property damage 1 out of 335 households is exceedingly rare, as I said. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/258 "2015-10-19T16:30:07Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [Flood damage/fatalities by year.](http://www.nws.noaa.gov/hic/) 82 fatalities per year out of a population of 319,000,000 is non-existent, for all intensive purposes. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/259 "2015-10-19T16:32:28Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > 1 out of 335 households is exceedingly rare, as I said. Your definition. Got a cite that that rate is universally considered exceedingly rare? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983/260 "2015-10-19T16:32:47Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > 82 fatalities per year out of a population of 319,000,000 is non-existent, for all intensive purposes. Presumably the people killed aren’t worried about getting a voter id, but some of those whose homes were flooded out might be. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-makes-bogus-claim-of-racism-in-alabama/734983.md?page=14)