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There are still plenty of living Americans who were born in Jim Crow places that refused to issue them birth certificates, who were born at home because their c

There are still plenty of living Americans who were born in Jim Crow places that refused to issue them birth certificates, who were born at home because their counties had White-only hospitals. Anyone who says that it is fair to demand documentary proof of citizenship is either unaware of American history, or arguing in bad faith for a regime that disenfranchises minorities.

readthenotes1 2y ago
Being born at home was fairly common in rural areas before the 1940s (cars and roads being more accessible). Even for white people. I would be interested in the number of voters who have no birth certificate. Do you have sources?
- jmyeet 2y ago
  The Brennan Center for Justice conducted a survey in 2006 that estimated that 7% of Americans didn't have the necessary documents to prove citizenship [1][2] The ABA quotes the US Census estimating as many as 10,000 babies are born every day without a birth certificate [3]. [1]: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/millions-americans-dont-have-documents-proving-their-citizenship-readily https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/mill... [2]: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citizens-without-proof https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citi... [3]: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/publications/teaching-legal-docs/birth-certificates/ https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/publicat...
  - readthenotes1 2y ago
    "readily available" is not "unavailable"-- did you purposely misconstrue the findings? Based on your ludicrous assertion that the ABA "quotes the US Census" estimate that almost every baby born in the United States is without a birth certificate I'm assuming so.
- jeffbee 2y ago
  Yes, it is true that many rural people never had birth certificates, all races taken together. This does not trouble people who want to suppress minority votes because as long as something disproportionately impacts the black voter then the collateral impact on some white voters is acceptable.
gosub100 2y ago
So those people drove cars and got medical care and bank accounts all this time, many decades, without ever having to show ID? Are any of them collecting social security, disability, welfare? How the heck did they pull that off without ID?
- jeffbee 2y ago
  You're overestimating the fraction of the electorate who drive and have bank accounts. It's that simple.

readthenotes1 2y ago

Being born at home was fairly common in rural areas before the 1940s (cars and roads being more accessible). Even for white people. I would be interested in the number of voters who have no birth certificate. Do you have sources?

jmyeet 2y ago
The Brennan Center for Justice conducted a survey in 2006 that estimated that 7% of Americans didn't have the necessary documents to prove citizenship [1][2] The ABA quotes the US Census estimating as many as 10,000 babies are born every day without a birth certificate [3]. [1]: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/millions-americans-dont-have-documents-proving-their-citizenship-readily https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/mill... [2]: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citizens-without-proof https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citi... [3]: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/publications/teaching-legal-docs/birth-certificates/ https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_education/publicat...
- readthenotes1 2y ago
  "readily available" is not "unavailable"-- did you purposely misconstrue the findings? Based on your ludicrous assertion that the ABA "quotes the US Census" estimate that almost every baby born in the United States is without a birth certificate I'm assuming so.
jeffbee 2y ago
Yes, it is true that many rural people never had birth certificates, all races taken together. This does not trouble people who want to suppress minority votes because as long as something disproportionately impacts the black voter then the collateral impact on some white voters is acceptable.

gosub100 2y ago

So those people drove cars and got medical care and bank accounts all this time, many decades, without ever having to show ID? Are any of them collecting social security, disability, welfare? How the heck did they pull that off without ID?

jeffbee 2y ago
You're overestimating the fraction of the electorate who drive and have bank accounts. It's that simple.