The ballot drop boxes in Washington and Oregon both have fire suppression systems that are designed to activate when the temperature inside reaches a certain point, coating ballots inside with a fire-suppressing powder.

For unknown reasons, the system failed to prevent the destruction of hundreds of ballots in Vancouver, just across the Columbia River from Portland.

  • sarcasticsunrise
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    772 months ago

    I hate that the Orwellian thought of ballot boxes requiring armed guards just entered my brain, because it just did. It goes against everything democracy is supposed to be, but this is where American fascism has led my thoughts to rot

    • JaggedRobotPubes
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      522 months ago

      With a sufficiently not-fucking-around response to the terrorists who did it, betcha won’t need guards.

      But America is gonna wrist slap nazis and say please.

      • @InverseParallax
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        92 months ago

        You can’t prosecute the meth out of a redneck, America has tried for decades.

        There are people who have the basic mammalian capability for aversion association, and people who don’t, these morons are no more capable of learning than ants.

        Don’t bother trying to set an example, just use enforced attrition.

        • @Maggoty
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          32 months ago

          I’m sorry but what exactly do you mean by “enforced attrition”.

          • @[email protected]
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            72 months ago

            If I were to run his statement through a different filter he’s stating “it’s in their genes and we need to kill them” but I don’t think he wants to use those words.

            • @Maggoty
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              32 months ago

              Oh yeah, that’s my thoughts as well. Which is weird, it’s not usually something you run into in this context.

          • @bitjunkie
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            2 months ago

            I think they’re referring to using punishment less as a deterrent to potential future offenders and more as a way of getting the people who prove themselves incapable of living in a civil society off of the streets. I don’t mean to speak for anyone, that was just my takeaway.

            • @Maggoty
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              12 months ago

              Which is suspiciously close to concentration camps.

              • @bitjunkie
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                02 months ago

                You got to Godwin’s Law territory in record time, there. I’m talking about throwing the book at literal fucking terrorists.

                • @Maggoty
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                  12 months ago

                  See that’s setting an example, which Inverse Parallax specifically said they were done with. Do you see my problem here?

                  Also concentration camps are not Godwin’s law territory, plenty of other countries have used them, including the US.

                  • @bitjunkie
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                    02 months ago

                    You know what image that kind of language invokes. It’s also not germane to the issue either way, because I’m not talking about politically persecuting people, I’m talking about judicial expediency dealing with people who are committing actual crimes and using their political views as justification for it.

    • @InverseParallax
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      102 months ago

      It’s not really orwellian.

      It’s Oregon, the number of methed up rednecks without shit to do is unimaginable.

      Orwellian would be if it were planned, this is just old-fashioned redneck stupidity.

      • sarcasticsunrise
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        42 months ago

        I know, I just hate that this is my headspace regarding what are supposed to be free and democratic elections. It’s an existential kind of dread, and it fucking sucks

        • @InverseParallax
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          52 months ago

          Lol, free and fair elections.

          Should try voting in the south while brown.

          This is the America I knew growing up, it’s weird to see everyone else shocked by it.

          Then again, I also feel like the filth leaked out and is trying to follow me :(

          • sarcasticsunrise
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            2 months ago

            Yeah man, let’s just agree this sucks for anyone with any degree of empathy.

            I’m white, grew up in Florida and got to witness Bush v Gore firsthand as a teen, the psychic damage messed me up so bad, enough to the point where I started to pay attention and be more politically active.

            I’m casting a vote against fascism and racism - We’re in this together