By Rob Korobkin, Barre, Vt.
posted
Jan 24, 2013
Dear Editor,
All Vermonters who are able to drive cars deserve the
opportunity to earn drivers licenses - regardless of where they
were born or their citizenship status. It's perfectly legal and
shouldn't even be an issue.
I grew up in Massachusetts and lived in Pennsylvania and Maine
before moving to Vermont several months ago to take a job with a
non-profit in Montpelier. It seems so arbitrary to me that,
while nobody questions my right to drive, other folks who are new
to Vermont are denied this basic right just because they come from
a little farther away.
When hardworking undocumented Vermonters are prohibited from
getting licenses, in practical terms, this means that if they are
caught behind the steering wheel, our government will punish them
just for traveling to the doctor's office, the grocery store or
even taking a simple trip to see family. Vermont was built by
immigrants, both documented and undocumented, and today, so much of
the essential and difficult work that sustains Vermont's rich
agricultural tradition is being done by people from other
countries. The last thing we should be doing is punishing these
people - is that really how Vermonters want to treat their new
neighbors?
Personally, I'd rather see my new legislators vote to make sure
that my tax dollars go toward making sure that everybody driving in
Vermont is registered. It's the only way to keep our roads safe and
fair.
Sincerely,
Rob Korobkin, Barre, Vt.
