Andrew Dobelstein: Old ways return

Regarding the April 28 editorial “Setback on voter ID”: One of the first things I did when I migrated to Chapel Hill in 1968 was register to vote. I went to the municipal building and found two nicely dressed middle-age ladies behind a folding table in the otherwise empty second floor. I was greeted warmly.

One lady handed me a printed sheet and asked me to read it out loud. “What is this?” I asked.

“It’s the first page of the United States Constitution. I know that you university fellows know how to read, honey, but if you just read it we can get on with your registration,” she said.

“It’s not legal to ask me to read this before I can register,” I said.

“Well, honey, I don’t know whether it’s legal or not, but you see this is the way we do things around here. If you would just read it, it would make my job easier. Will you please?” she said.

I looked at her for a few minutes, then at the sheet she handed me and began: “We the ...”

“That’s good, honey. Let’s finish your registration now,” she said.

Legal or not, right or wrong, it’s just the way we do things around here.

This story was originally published April 30, 2016 at 2:00 PM with the headline "Andrew Dobelstein: Old ways return."