Sadly, in this modern era, the Republican Party is continuing that racist legacy. In some respects, the Republican Party is today's version of the White Citizens' Council. Similar to the Council, the Republican Party is a predominately Southern, white male organization. It opposes issues that are important to minorities such as affirmative action, immigration rights, health care reform, workers' rights, social programs, etc.
To make matters worst, as reported in the New York Times, the GOP is even attempting to disenfranchise African Americans, Latinos, the elderly and the poor.
"Less than 18 months before the next presidential election, Republican-controlled statehouses around the country are rewriting voting laws to require photo identification at the polls, reduce the number of days of early voting or tighten registration rules.
Republican legislators say the new rules, which have advanced in 13 states in the past two months, offer a practical way to weed out fraudulent votes and preserve the integrity of the ballot box. Democrats say the changes have little to do with fraud prevention and more to do with placing obstacles in the way of possible Democratic voters, including young people and minorities.
Democrats, who point to scant evidence of voter-impersonation fraud, say the unified Republican push for photo identification cards carries echoes of the Jim Crow laws — with their poll taxes and literacy tests — that inhibited black voters in the South from Reconstruction through the 1960s. Election experts say minorities, poor people and students — who tend to skew Democratic — are among those least likely to have valid driver’s licenses, the most prevalent form of identification. Older people, another group less likely to have licenses, are swing voters.
Changes to voter law tend to flow and ebb with election cycles as both Democrats and Republicans scramble to gain the upper hand when they hold power. The 2010 midterm election was a boon to Republicans, who now control 59 chambers of state legislatures and 29 governorships. In some states, like Florida and Texas, Republicans hold overwhelming majorities. This has allowed the bills to move forward."
The 2000 Presidential Election taught us that every single vote is crucial. Similar to the Jim Crow era voting restrictions, the Republican Party's covert goal is to discourage minorities and poor people from voting. Unnecessary and burdensome registration requirements may have a decisive impact on the 2012 Presidential Election. By disenfranchising a few, a whole race of people may be prevented from electing their candidates of choice.
We must counter this massive conspiracy to disenfranchise black, Latino, poor and elderly voters. We must intensify our voter registration and education efforts. We must pressure politicians to repeal those restrictive laws by launching online petition drives and, if necessary, by engaging in organized acts of civil disobedience. Finally, advocacy groups must continue to use the courts to fight against this type of injustice.
There is far too much at stake for us to remain silent. Too many people died so that we can exercise our right to vote. We cannot allow anyone to take us backward. We must march forward.
This article is cross-posted on Jack and Jill Politics.
Interesting.
ReplyDeleteIn my estimation the "Enemies Of Black People"
1) Deny our people quality education - in the schools they operate
2) Destroy the foundations of economic uplift in the Black community with policies that fail to engage our people into productive ends
3) Fail to protect our people, allowing us to congregate on safe streets
4) Fail to enforce social behavior that are known to produce favorable outcomes for our community.
It is interesting that you focus on the "THREAT of VOTER SUPPRESSION". I choose not to battle you in your attempts to inferiorize Black people with the notion that we can't manage to obtain government ID in the two years between the elections.
Instead I point you to the "Mission Accomplished Cities" where the "Equal Black Ballot" and those of the prevailing "Joint Venture Partners" have successfully taken over every single institution in the domain. In my view the knowledge that in the city of Newark - a Black person's VOTE has lost its ability to uplift the community one inch higher is more disturbing. With the Progressive-Fundamentalists controlling every institution in the city - having run the evil conservatives out of power - we now see a "Progressive Democratic Faction A" against a "Progressive Democratic Faction B". The Equal Black Vote applied unrestrained, without fear of Republican molestation -
* WILL NOT deliver better schools
* WILL NOT translate into a greater economic fortune
* WILL NOT keep the people assaulted by "Street Pirates" safe at night - despite the 150 police officers laid off due to budgetary insolvency of the city
What those of us who see the DEFENSIVE POSTURE that people like you need to retain for Black people so that our "Equal Black Ballots" will be cast favorably - and to your liking - is that when the Progressive-Fundamentalists reach their VICTORY in the "Mission Accomplished zone" it LOSSES OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY - and the clear evidence that we have been USED as our Racial Consciousness was fused to a movement that is not of our own - shows how little your pronouncements of fear actually matter.
Remove the Republican as a unifying threat and the Progressives splinter. Ironically (as Brick City showed) despite fighting in the local context - both Progressive factions claimed to be "The Obama Faction".
The primary issue is whether unnecessary barriers are being erected to suppress the black vote. Which candidates or parties the people vote for is secondary.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, what has the Republican Party done in recent history to benefit the African American community?
As you shadowbox, one should always be aware of your stance, technique and tactics. Although the exercise is against a percieved opponent, it is more useful to inspect your own execution, check for discrepencies and make adjustments.
ReplyDelete[quote]By the way, what has the Republican Party done in recent history to benefit the African American community? [/quote]
ReplyDeleteI am not a REPUBLICAN. If you want a sales job on the GOP - I suggest you go to "Hip Hop Republican".
I can speak about CONSERVATIVES.....
1) In acceptance of a unresolvable conflict over governance theory and resource allocation - the CONSERVATIVES departed certain areas that were under contention. From this the Black community receive a mass of FAVORABLE PROGRESSIVE
* Mayors
* City Councils
* School Boards
of all races - but with the perferred IDEOLOGY.
2) As the recent US Census showed - Black people who were given the chance to see the DISTILLED distinctions between the dominate ideologies chose to MOVE OUT OF the "Progressive Mission Accomplished Areas" - out to more CONSERVATIVE suburbs and to the South. I refer to them as "Black Flight Progressives".
3) The benefit of the "Black Flight Progressive" is that while they CONSUME the progressive ecosystem where they live now, removing their family from the consequences of their previous area - they believe that they are KEEPING THEIR LINKAGE WITH THEIR PEOPLE by VOTING in their new area for the same policies which forced them to DEPART once it became the prevailing standard. Since they still VOTE in a manner like the "Black Racial Services Machine" wants Black people to - they are not attacked for leaving "the community" as a Black Conservative is attacked for "Leaving The Ideological Unity".
Serious bro. You are an educated man.
With Black people having yeilded our 2 buckets called the "Equal Black Ballot" and fused our RACIAL CONSCIOUSNESS container to the Democratic Party with the goal of filling up our COMMUNITY WEALTH bucket - WHY do you feel more emboldened asking ME "What has the GOP DONE for Black People" than you are inclined to make an ASSESSMENT of the GRAND INVESTMENT that the Black Community has made to the Democrats via the FUSION and ponder if THIS IS NOT THE GREATER "bill of goods" that needs closer inspection"?
I am NOT attempting to turn you or any other Black person into a Republican.
I am ONLY suggesting that the Dems and GOP operate in the AMERICAN POLITICAL DOMAIN.
The Black Community needs to set up PROTECTION AGAINST the embedded confidence men that lurk inside and attempt to USE OUR PEOPLE - drawing us into the domain and football game that the great Malcolm X Warned Us About.
I am not against politics and voting.
I believe that no one should attempt to accomplish through POLITICS the things that need to be worked on INTERNALLY.
You make some valid points. For the record, although I tend to vote Democratic, I am not a Democrat or Republican. Both parties are dominated and controlled by corporate interests. Both parties support US imperialism.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the Democratic Party is far more progressive on civil rights issues than the Republican Party. The Republican Party opposes affirmative action, immigrant rights, workers' rights and women's rights. So until there is a viable third party alternative, most black people, myself included, will continue to vote for Democrats.
Certainly, there are things that we need to work on internally. However, there is a role for government. Government policy impacts lives. Where would we be without the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act, etc.?