Lynn Swann & The Right to Vote

This is something all African Americans should hold absolutely sacred on a mandatory list of basic community rules: voting. Basic respect for those who died, bled and sweat for those rights dictates not missing an election. That's what absentee ballots are for. For that matter, the rule should be applied to all Americans considering the enormous sacrifices made.

According to the Philly Inquirer, GOP Gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann is a serious offender:

Despite once saying that the right to vote should never be taken for granted," Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Lynn Swann (R) "missed 20 of the state's 36 elections in the last 18 years -- including 13 of his party's primaries.

In that period, Swann missed elections for governor, U.S. senator and president, while also skipping a chance to vote on a dozen statewide referendums, including a 1989 question on property-tax reform - now a centerpiece of his campaign.

We hold no sympathy for Swann on this issue. Unless there was a family or personal tragedy unknown to the general public, we can't imagine what excuse he'll come up with.