They become less absurd in light of other abuses against civil rights.<p>~The 14th Amendment just says that blacks have equal rights to vote as whites.  The idea that poll taxes or literacy tests or official intimidation while in transit to the polling places are somehow unconstitutional is and always has been... absolutely correct.~<p>In some counties, bearing a concealed firearm requires a permit issued by the sheriff.  In some counties, the sheriffs do not issue any permits.  In others, the sheriffs issue fewer permits to black people than the local demographic statistics would otherwise suggest.<p>Do you understand now why such subtle and apparently reasonable encroachments upon a right must be scrutinized so very closely?