Karen E. Pride
National march to renew Voting Rights Act
Sat Aug 6, 2005 14:11
Reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act
http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/live/
Atlanta Rally/March Info
Randi will be in Atlanta this Saturday. Here is a link to the rally info. Listen Monday, Randi will detail her experience in Atlanta. She should have a video too!
http://www.keepthevotealive.org/
Saturday marks national march to renew Voting Rights Act
by Karen E. Pride, Chicago Defender
August 5, 2005
http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/local.cfm?ArticleID=1817
Two bus loads of nearly 100 Chicagoans left Rainbow/PUSH headquarters for Atlanta Thursday night to participate in Saturday's 40th anniversary commemoration of the historic signing of the Voting Rights Act by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
More importantly, the will participate in the "Keep the Vote Alive" march and rally to demand President George W. Bush re-authorize two key provisions of the act before it expires in 2007.
Thus far, Bush has refused to commit to renew those provisions, which must be done every 25 years.
Bonita Parker, Rainbow/PUSH chief operating officer, told the Chicago Defender that Bush, in fact, had indicated to the Congressional Black Caucus he wasn't sure what the Voting Rights Act was, but he would look at it if it crossed his desk.
"So, we want to make sure the community is completely aware if the act's importance so we can impress that on the White House," she said.
The key provisions that must be extended are Sections 2 and 5.
"Section 5 makes sure no efforts to undercut our right to vote are made," Parker said. "That would include gerrymandering, or creating an election district that gives unfair advantage to one political party, creating unfair literacy testing, identification requirements or bullying at a polling place. Any changes of that nature would have to get 'pre-clearance' from the Department of Justice. "
Protection for non-English speaking voters is covered under Section 2.
"Those voters must be provided with ballots and information in their native language," said Parker. "We're fighting hard to make people aware of what's at stake."
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., whose Rainbow/PUSH organization spearheaded the renewal effort, told the Defender from Atlanta in addition to civil rights-minded individuals, a huge coalition of organizations would be visibly represented at the rally.
"The NAACP, the Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Council, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Latino Caucus, the AFL-CIO, the National Organization of Women, the list goes on," he said. "We will all be marching together on this agenda."
In addition, said Jackson, entertainers Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Harry Belafonte, John Legend and Willie Nelson would also be present for the march, Jackson said.
"There is a sense of urgency of voter rights, workers rights, choosing schools over jails and ending a war that has gone wild," he said.
The National Association of Black Journalists' annual convention is also underway in Atlanta.
"They just had (former President Bill) Clinton there to speak and he said the Voting Rights Act was under a threat," Jackson said. "Many of the NABJ members will be marching with us, too. They get the picture."
Lawmakers representing Illinois get the picture, too.
"The Voting Rights Act has been a critical tool ensuring minority voters not have the right to vote, but the right to have their vote counted," Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) told the Defender. "Those of us concerned about protecting those rights need to have a series of strategic meetings over the next several months to create a unified front as we go forward to get the re-authorization."
Rep. Bobby Rush (D-1st) told the Defender the Voting Rights Act is fundamental to the full expression as our rights as American citizens.
"Without the Voting Rights Act we would not have 42 African American members of Congress and one member of the U.S. Senate," he said. "This (march) is an opportunity for the African American community, and other minorities, including the Latino community, to re-energize the movement for equality, here in America, around an issue that's absolutely essential to our future as American citizens."?
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-2nd) said a bi-partisan effort to get the act reauthorized is imperative.
"The Voting Rights Act applied to Democratic legislatures in the South," he told the Defender. "There was a Democratic house and senate, and a Democratic governor who were all fighting to keep minorities from public offices. The original act went to the heart of the Democratic Party's actions. That's why we must have support on this matter from Republicans as well."
Violations of the act don't just occur in national elections, said Rep. Danny Davis (D-7th), who strongly favors all efforts to educate people.
"They happen in aldermanic and state rep elections," he told the Defender. "People move polling locations in the middle of the night or ballots aren't counted properly or dead people are 'allowed' to vote. That's why we have to protect this act and the people's right to vote."
Denise Dixon's four children will witness the historic nature of the "Keep the Vote Alive" rally as they travel on one of the Chicago buses to Atlanta.
Dixon, a national field organizer Rainbow/PUSH, told the Defender, her younger kids, Jon, 8, Tia, 11 and Ian, 14, might not fully understand the significance of the trip right now, "but they will understand one day," she said.
Her oldest daughter, Joi, is 24 and a soldier in the U.S. Army.
"She just got back from Kuwait and she will understand what this all means," said Dixon. "She has and will continue to see democracy in action. We are under attack here in America."
For Joy Camps, a Dallas-based American Airlines flight attendant, the trip to champion civil rights is part of her birthright.
"I grew up with PUSH," she told the Defender. ""My father, James, was very active with Rev. Jackson and I spent a lot of time here growing up."
Camps will travel to the rally with many of her fellow Rainbow/PUSH choir members.
"This is a very important issue and we all need to be involved," she said.
The Chicago contingent will arrive in Atlanta today and return Sunday night.
The emphasis on problems in Southern states and the location of the rally itself is troublesome to Bruce Crosby, head of the Committee To Preserve Voting Rights.
He feels Jackson Sr. should be talking more about voting rights problems in Illinois should have planned the rally in his own back yard of Chicago.
Crosby scheduled a news conference for 10 a.m. Today at the Kluczynski Federal Building, 230 S. Deaborn St., to discuss "voting rights reauthorization and expansion from an Illinois perspective.
He told the Defender the state has experience every voting rights violation as the Southern states covered by "pre-clearance" in Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
"There are at-large elections, racial gerrymandering and voting schemes like non-partisan, citywide elections," said Crosby. "If things had been like this when Harold Washington was running for office, he never would have been Chicago's first Black mayor."
Former U.S. Senator and ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, who will speak at Crosby's news conference, forwarded the following comments to the Defender.
"The Voting Rights Act has been a key factor in expanding the franchise of democracy to Americans who could not otherwise participate in the electoral process. It signaled the end of de facto segregation at the polls, and made clear the official repudiation of schemes and procedures that denied the vote out of racial motivations. The need for it continues, and we must continue to signal to the world that exclusion and discrimination will not be tolerated as a matter of official policy."
Addressing Crosby's criticism of holding the rally in the South, Parker said the area is where the Voting Rights Act was originally signed.
"Atlanta was selected because earlier this year, legislation passed that reduced the number of eligible ID's that residents could use to register to vote," she said. "The number went from about 18 to five. So, we already see some tricks being performed in that city."
Jackson responded to Crosby's comments by saying Rainbow/PUSH has put great emphasis on problems in Chicago.
"We've made our complaints about voting practices known to (Cook County Clerk) David Orr, to the state and we've gone public with those complaints," said Jackson. "I think the more, the merrier as far as complaining and protesting go, if it will get this act reauthorized."
==============
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, in conjunction with other leading civil rights organizations, has created the National Commission on the Voting Rights Act to conduct regional hearings across the country. The goal of the National Commission is to write a comprehensive report detailing discrimination in voting since 1982, the last major reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. This report will be used to educate the public, advocates, and policymakers on this record of discrimination and its relationship to the upcoming reauthorization.
http://www.votingrightsact.org/
GOOGLE: VOTER RIGHTS
Results 1 - 10 of about 1,530 for Voter Rights
http://www.therandirhodesshow.com/live/
Atlanta Rally/March Info
Randi will be in Atlanta this Saturday. Here is a link to the rally info. Listen Monday, Randi will detail her experience in Atlanta. She should have a video too!
http://www.keepthevotealive.org/
Saturday marks national march to renew Voting Rights Act
by Karen E. Pride, Chicago Defender
August 5, 2005
http://www.chicagodefender.com/page/local.cfm?ArticleID=1817
Two bus loads of nearly 100 Chicagoans left Rainbow/PUSH headquarters for Atlanta Thursday night to participate in Saturday's 40th anniversary commemoration of the historic signing of the Voting Rights Act by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
More importantly, the will participate in the "Keep the Vote Alive" march and rally to demand President George W. Bush re-authorize two key provisions of the act before it expires in 2007.
Thus far, Bush has refused to commit to renew those provisions, which must be done every 25 years.
Bonita Parker, Rainbow/PUSH chief operating officer, told the Chicago Defender that Bush, in fact, had indicated to the Congressional Black Caucus he wasn't sure what the Voting Rights Act was, but he would look at it if it crossed his desk.
"So, we want to make sure the community is completely aware if the act's importance so we can impress that on the White House," she said.
The key provisions that must be extended are Sections 2 and 5.
"Section 5 makes sure no efforts to undercut our right to vote are made," Parker said. "That would include gerrymandering, or creating an election district that gives unfair advantage to one political party, creating unfair literacy testing, identification requirements or bullying at a polling place. Any changes of that nature would have to get 'pre-clearance' from the Department of Justice. "
Protection for non-English speaking voters is covered under Section 2.
"Those voters must be provided with ballots and information in their native language," said Parker. "We're fighting hard to make people aware of what's at stake."
The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., whose Rainbow/PUSH organization spearheaded the renewal effort, told the Defender from Atlanta in addition to civil rights-minded individuals, a huge coalition of organizations would be visibly represented at the rally.
"The NAACP, the Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Council, the Congressional Black Caucus, the Latino Caucus, the AFL-CIO, the National Organization of Women, the list goes on," he said. "We will all be marching together on this agenda."
In addition, said Jackson, entertainers Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Harry Belafonte, John Legend and Willie Nelson would also be present for the march, Jackson said.
"There is a sense of urgency of voter rights, workers rights, choosing schools over jails and ending a war that has gone wild," he said.
The National Association of Black Journalists' annual convention is also underway in Atlanta.
"They just had (former President Bill) Clinton there to speak and he said the Voting Rights Act was under a threat," Jackson said. "Many of the NABJ members will be marching with us, too. They get the picture."
Lawmakers representing Illinois get the picture, too.
"The Voting Rights Act has been a critical tool ensuring minority voters not have the right to vote, but the right to have their vote counted," Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) told the Defender. "Those of us concerned about protecting those rights need to have a series of strategic meetings over the next several months to create a unified front as we go forward to get the re-authorization."
Rep. Bobby Rush (D-1st) told the Defender the Voting Rights Act is fundamental to the full expression as our rights as American citizens.
"Without the Voting Rights Act we would not have 42 African American members of Congress and one member of the U.S. Senate," he said. "This (march) is an opportunity for the African American community, and other minorities, including the Latino community, to re-energize the movement for equality, here in America, around an issue that's absolutely essential to our future as American citizens."?
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-2nd) said a bi-partisan effort to get the act reauthorized is imperative.
"The Voting Rights Act applied to Democratic legislatures in the South," he told the Defender. "There was a Democratic house and senate, and a Democratic governor who were all fighting to keep minorities from public offices. The original act went to the heart of the Democratic Party's actions. That's why we must have support on this matter from Republicans as well."
Violations of the act don't just occur in national elections, said Rep. Danny Davis (D-7th), who strongly favors all efforts to educate people.
"They happen in aldermanic and state rep elections," he told the Defender. "People move polling locations in the middle of the night or ballots aren't counted properly or dead people are 'allowed' to vote. That's why we have to protect this act and the people's right to vote."
Denise Dixon's four children will witness the historic nature of the "Keep the Vote Alive" rally as they travel on one of the Chicago buses to Atlanta.
Dixon, a national field organizer Rainbow/PUSH, told the Defender, her younger kids, Jon, 8, Tia, 11 and Ian, 14, might not fully understand the significance of the trip right now, "but they will understand one day," she said.
Her oldest daughter, Joi, is 24 and a soldier in the U.S. Army.
"She just got back from Kuwait and she will understand what this all means," said Dixon. "She has and will continue to see democracy in action. We are under attack here in America."
For Joy Camps, a Dallas-based American Airlines flight attendant, the trip to champion civil rights is part of her birthright.
"I grew up with PUSH," she told the Defender. ""My father, James, was very active with Rev. Jackson and I spent a lot of time here growing up."
Camps will travel to the rally with many of her fellow Rainbow/PUSH choir members.
"This is a very important issue and we all need to be involved," she said.
The Chicago contingent will arrive in Atlanta today and return Sunday night.
The emphasis on problems in Southern states and the location of the rally itself is troublesome to Bruce Crosby, head of the Committee To Preserve Voting Rights.
He feels Jackson Sr. should be talking more about voting rights problems in Illinois should have planned the rally in his own back yard of Chicago.
Crosby scheduled a news conference for 10 a.m. Today at the Kluczynski Federal Building, 230 S. Deaborn St., to discuss "voting rights reauthorization and expansion from an Illinois perspective.
He told the Defender the state has experience every voting rights violation as the Southern states covered by "pre-clearance" in Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act.
"There are at-large elections, racial gerrymandering and voting schemes like non-partisan, citywide elections," said Crosby. "If things had been like this when Harold Washington was running for office, he never would have been Chicago's first Black mayor."
Former U.S. Senator and ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, who will speak at Crosby's news conference, forwarded the following comments to the Defender.
"The Voting Rights Act has been a key factor in expanding the franchise of democracy to Americans who could not otherwise participate in the electoral process. It signaled the end of de facto segregation at the polls, and made clear the official repudiation of schemes and procedures that denied the vote out of racial motivations. The need for it continues, and we must continue to signal to the world that exclusion and discrimination will not be tolerated as a matter of official policy."
Addressing Crosby's criticism of holding the rally in the South, Parker said the area is where the Voting Rights Act was originally signed.
"Atlanta was selected because earlier this year, legislation passed that reduced the number of eligible ID's that residents could use to register to vote," she said. "The number went from about 18 to five. So, we already see some tricks being performed in that city."
Jackson responded to Crosby's comments by saying Rainbow/PUSH has put great emphasis on problems in Chicago.
"We've made our complaints about voting practices known to (Cook County Clerk) David Orr, to the state and we've gone public with those complaints," said Jackson. "I think the more, the merrier as far as complaining and protesting go, if it will get this act reauthorized."
==============
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, in conjunction with other leading civil rights organizations, has created the National Commission on the Voting Rights Act to conduct regional hearings across the country. The goal of the National Commission is to write a comprehensive report detailing discrimination in voting since 1982, the last major reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. This report will be used to educate the public, advocates, and policymakers on this record of discrimination and its relationship to the upcoming reauthorization.
http://www.votingrightsact.org/
GOOGLE: VOTER RIGHTS
Results 1 - 10 of about 1,530 for Voter Rights
- Links to Vote Fraud Websites & Info. —VOTEGATE, Sat Aug 6 14:20
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