Crystal Mason is a resident of the very red state of Texas. She is 43-years-old and black. Ms. Mason was recently tried for voting illegally in the 2016 election. She was on probation after having served nearly three years in prison when she cast her ballot on November 8, 2016. In Texas, individuals on probation lose their voting rights until all of their sentence has been completed.

Although she was unaware of this stipulation, the court told her that ignorance of the law does not remove responsibility. She has been sentenced to five additional years in prison.

Two other well-known cases of voter fraud in the 2016 election involved one man and one woman who voted for Trump. The woman received a small fine and probation after she intentionally voted twice, believing that Trump was telling the truth; that the election was ‘fixed.’

The man forged his wife’s name on a voter registration form, and then cast an absentee ballot in her name. He also received a small fine and probation.

It is fair to claim that Ms. Mason was severely punished in her state of Texas for two reasons; she voted for Hillary Clinton, and she is black. Records prove that the Texas justice system treats African Americans far more severely than whites.

I have said this many, many times; I do not understand why any woman, or any person of color would live in Indiana, Arizona, Texas or any state in the deep south. They don’t want you, and you certainly don’t need them. Why anyone would choose to live in states which cherish our nation’s dark past, I will never understand. Your votes in presidential elections are wasted; most states give all of their Electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote.

Ms. Mason is obviously receiving unfair punishment. The truth is that anyone who voted for Trump should be punished for committing a hate crime.

America needs change, and by continuing to elect old, white men will not produce the results we desperately need. Diversity is beautiful, and diversity is American.

Please vote in November. Ridding our nation of the Republican scourge will make Trump powerless.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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