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Chron: Voters warned to leave Cowboys jerseys at home

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout' started by Rockets34Legend, Oct 19, 2004.

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  1. Rockets34Legend

    Rockets34Legend Member

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    WTF? :confused:

    http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2855326

    ARLINGTON - A warning to Dallas Cowboys fans who plan to vote in this North Texas city: Leave your team colors at home.

    Polling places are no place for fan gear, election officials say.

    Elections Administrator Robert Parten said Monday that anyone sporting a Cowboys logo at an Arlington voting site will be told to cover up their allegiance to the team if they want to cast a ballot.

    He said he ordered the prohibition because of a provision on the Arlington ballot that asks whether taxpayers should help pay for a $650 million Cowboys stadium in their city.

    "Anytime you go into a polling place and what you're wearing shows something that's on the ballot, that's electioneering," Gayle Hamilton, assistant elections administrator for Tarrant County, said.

    State law prohibits voters at the polls with clothing, jewelry or badges that promote or denounce a candidate or proposition on a ballot.

    Parten said in an election year, the big blue star that's a fixture at Texas Stadium may also be considered a political statement in favor of the proposition.

    For those who don't obey the prohibition, election officials have ordered smocks like those worn in hospital exam rooms that Arlington residents can wear to cover their Cowboys paraphernalia in the voting booth.

    "We'll let them wear them to vote so they can be on their way," said Hamilton. "Hopefully, we won't have to use many of them, but we want to be prepared."

    Gowns will be distributed to early voting locations by Wednesday, she said.

    Parten said the smocks will also be distributed throughout the rest of Tarrant County for voters whose attire bears other types of political messages or symbols, such as donkeys or elephants.

    But some Arlington residents who voted early said they believed it was un-American to restrict clothing that represents America's Team.

    "Nobody said a thing to me," said Judy Layton after voting at the Bob Duncan Community Center in central Arlington, while wearing a Cowboys T-shirt. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
     
    #1 Rockets34Legend, Oct 19, 2004
  2. Hippieloser

    Hippieloser Member

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    Stupid, but if they didn't do it I'm sure people would cry foul. Elections are so lame.
     
    #2 Hippieloser, Oct 19, 2004
  3. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    this doesn't surprise me at all. the stadium for the cowboys is on the ballot. the law is the law. you can wear your cowboy jersey virtually anywhere else you want...take it off for 5 minutes while you go into vote...grab it and put it back on after you're done.
     
    #3 MadMax, Oct 19, 2004
  4. across110thstreet

    across110thstreet Member

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    what country is this again?
     
    #4 across110thstreet, Oct 19, 2004
  5. drapg

    drapg Member

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    If you wear Texans paraphernalia, does that mean you're electioneering against the proposition?
     
    #5 drapg, Oct 19, 2004
  6. Puedlfor

    Puedlfor Member

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    What would be the difference in this election between wearing a Cowboys jersey and a "Kerry/Edwards" shirt to the polling place? None, really. The decision is strict, but it does follow the rules.
     
    #6 Puedlfor, Oct 19, 2004
  7. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    The same thing happened during the arena campaign. The reason is that there is a buffer zone around all voting locations. Anyone wanting to promote a candidate or cause has to stand X number of feet from the door of the polling place. No signs, stickers, shirts or promotional items of any kind are allowed inside that area.

    It was done to give voters a completely unobstructed entrance to the polling place and give everyone a fair shot at promoting their candidates and causes.

    I don't have a problem with it. I just turned my shirt inside out to vote in 2000.
     
    #7 Jeff, Oct 19, 2004
  8. Stack24

    Stack24 Member

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    You think people sitll buy Cowboys gear.....they suck.
     
    #8 Stack24, Oct 19, 2004
  9. DrewP

    DrewP Member

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    If I was wearing a cowboys jersey and was turned away from the polls i would be pissed. I understand the rule, but its still ass-clown-silly.
     
    #9 DrewP, Oct 19, 2004
  10. meggoleggo

    meggoleggo Member

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    Like giving someone a gown or a smock to wear on top of Cowgirl paraphernalia is going to cover anything up.... Then ppl will look at them and say, they must be wearing Cowgirl crap.... And then it will have some way altered their thought process of voting.
     
    #10 meggoleggo, Oct 20, 2004
  11. Supermac34

    Supermac34 President, Von Wafer Fan Club

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    What if someone just shows up in a smock because they are an art teacher?
     
    #11 Supermac34, Oct 20, 2004
  12. tigereye

    tigereye Member

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    Wouldnt it be cool if Jerry lost the vote to build "Jerryworld."

    It would give him an excuse to look at LA and bolt.

    And to those of you who say....its never gonna happen, Jerry is a businessman. He fired Tom Landry so its quite obvious the past doesnt mean sh*t to him. Its whats gonna make him more money in the future.

    LA is the second largest market and is without a football team. LA would make him George Steinbrenner and it would make the Cowboys America's version of Man U. So dont count it out.....
     
    #12 tigereye, Oct 20, 2004
  13. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    LOL!!! :D

    tigereye: The 'boys aren't leaving Dallas. No matter how big a businessman Jones may be, he isn't moving that team.
     
    #13 Jeff, Oct 20, 2004
  14. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    the intangible value of owning the DALLAS COWBOYS far exceeds that of owning a newly relocated franchise in LA. far exceeds. i freaking hate the cowboys, so i wish that weren't true. but it just is.
     
    #14 MadMax, Oct 20, 2004
  15. Jeff

    Jeff Clutch Crew

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    Anyone seen any polling on this issue in Dallas?
     
    #15 Jeff, Oct 20, 2004
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