NEW YORK – Seventy-four years after he saw the flag raised on Iwo Jima, a World War II veteran has an Independence Day message for America: The fight for liberty goes on, and today's enemies are ignorance and indifference to justice.

Ninety-four-year-old Bob Pennoyer saw the American flag raised on Iwo Jima. He describes that moment as embodying the spirit of liberty as people from different faiths, races and nationalities fought and bled together to defeat tyranny.

From the success of the civil-rights movement to the fight for women's reproductive rights and today's Parkland students speaking out against gun violence, Pennoyer says he sees the fight for liberty continue.

And, he adds, it takes work to preserve our democracy.

"America is an example to the nations of the world, but we're not perfect, and we have to acknowledge we're not perfect," says Pennoyer. "We can do better and we must do better, and the most important thing is to be active by voting and electing people who want to bring the country and the community together and serve the nation."

This Independence Day, Pennoyer is calling on Americans' courage to fight today for the core values for which so many have given their lives – equality, freedom and self-government.

He believes now is a good time to put aside politics and remember the values that unite us.

And what are they, some might ask? The private sector has been vital to creating the country's wealth, but Pennoyer says equal opportunities are needed for people from all walks of life.

"We need the government to ensure a level playing field so the power that's accumulated by big corporations doesn't obliterate the right of small business to survive and thrive in our nation," he says.

He sees another key factor in protecting our freedoms, ensuring that our country works toward peace and avoids unnecessary conflicts.

"While I personally felt that the Iraq war was one of the worst blunders in history, the people who served in that war were willing to risk their lives for the nation," he adds. "And they deserve our highest respect and should be honored and helped when they come back to civilian life."

Pennoyer's generation is often referred to as "the greatest," but he believes every generation has the qualities that will save and serve liberty.

Remembering WWII American sacrifices on D Day in France, and using a historic line from the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" to illustrate the fight against the enemies of freedom, Pennoyer hopes his call to action helps inspire generations of today to do their part.

As he puts it, "I'm filled with hope knowing that long after I am gone, the people who hear this message, imbued with the millions like them, imbued with the spirit of liberty, building on the sacrifices made by those who gave their lives on a beach at Normandy, will strive to save democracy and freedom as they 'trample out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.'"



get more stories like this via email

Election Day is less than three weeks away and while the focus for most people is on casting their ballot, Pennsylvania also needs a lot more poll workers for the voting process to go smoothly.

Many of the 8.7 million registered voters in the state would be eligible to work at the polls for the Nov. 5 presidential elections.

Susan Gobreski, board member of the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania, said prospective poll workers need to be registered to vote in the county where they want to work, and would need to be available for the entire day.

"There are over 9,000 precincts or divisions in Pennsylvania and there are about five poll workers per precinct or division, plus translators in some places," Gobreski outlined. "It's over 45,000 people who are needed."

She added poll workers are appointed by the community or elected every four years and are essential for ensuring the transparency and fairness of elections. Gobreski noted they come from diverse backgrounds and are responsible for administering the voting process and filling in when any vacancies arise.

Gobreski stressed Pennsylvania prioritizes the safety of poll workers and has implemented measures to ensure a seamless election process.

"If you're concerned about political violence, I think for the most part, that is something that people should learn about de-escalation," Gobreski explained. "People can always call the police. Election officials and safety officials are responsible for administering that and addressing those situations, so poll workers aren't expected to resolve those situations."

She noted election workers are paid. Exact rates vary by county. Training is offered prior to working on Election Day. The hours may start as early as 6:30 a.m. and polls close at 8 p.m.

This year's Election Day will be one of the most closely watched in history, and one concern of Illinois election officials is safety at polling sites.

The latest Brennan Center for Justice study showed since 2020, 992% of election officials nationwide have increased security for their workers and volunteers, as well as voters. The steps include forming emergency response plans and extra security at polling sites and election offices.

Ed Yohnka, director of communications and public policy for the ACLU of Illinois, said the fears are valid.

"One of the things that we will be doing, in Illinois and around the country, is monitoring to assure that there is not violence or intimidation at the polls," Yohnka explained. "Everybody, everybody, no matter who they support, has a right to go and vote and participate in this election on behalf of the candidate they support."

One tool of voter suppression is to create anxiety, Yohnka added. The ACLU of Illinois is encouraging people to prepare for Election Day in advance by having their proper ID with them and knowing how to obtain a provisional ballot if their name does not appear on a voting roster.

When people or groups position themselves near polling places to intimidate or threaten others, the goal may be to ultimately discourage people from voting at all. The actions may involve videotaping prospective voters as they approach a polling site, or taking pictures of their license plates.

Deceptive robocalls or targeting people of color are also forms of voter intimidation. Yohnka noted such occurrences "get into the wheelhouse" of the work the ACLU has done for more than a century.

"We're here to defend the civil liberties and civil rights of everyone, no matter who's the president, no matter who is in power in Congress, no matter who's in power at the state level," Yohnka stressed. "It gives us the capacity and the ability to challenge abuses, whether they come from either one of the major parties in power."

He emphasized the ACLU is nonpartisan and doesn't have a direct role in the electoral process. He added people must know their rights and how to exercise them, and not be intimidated.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Reports of intimidating text messages targeting Wisconsin college students and recent graduates are prompting more voting-rights outreach to young voters.

The anonymous text message warns recipients about voting in a state where they are not eligible, and says they could be fined or jailed for violating Wisconsin state law.

Recent graduate Molly Carmichael, communications manager with the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, said the first thing she noticed when she got the text was the harsh language.

"Right off the bat I was pretty upset, because I figured this was also going out to other people, maybe people who have never voted before and are excited to vote this November. And so, getting a text like that would certainly be really alarming," she explained.

The League of Women Voters, along with Free Speech for People, petitioned the Wisconsin and U.S. Departments of Justice to investigate the matter.

Carmichael said they've also started a digital campaign promoting the Election Protection Hotline, trying to counter the harmful text with positive and correct information and resources.

Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause Wisconsin, said interfering with the student vote is nothing new for Wisconsin, and is almost expected in the swing state.

"Students become a very convenient target for many of the people that are trying to undermine public confidence in voting in Wisconsin," he continued.

Heck said the state's strict photo ID law for voters may add confusion to the process for some college students whose school IDs may not be compliant with state law. Common Cause has a section on its website that outlines what college students need to vote in Wisconsin, including detailed examples of which IDs are permitted.

While continued outreach to college students is critical after this latest scheme, Heck hopes most students won't fall for it.

"The good thing about it is, I think younger people, by and large, are less susceptible to some of the stuff that they see and the texts that they get, because they're just more used to social media. And I think a lot of them are probably a little more savvy about whether it's true or not," Heck added.

Students who receive this type of text message or any other intimidating voting-related communications are encouraged to report it to the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.

Support for this reporting was provided by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.


get more stories like this via email