Jackson Free Press

Just as President Bush has nominated a potential U.S. Supreme Court justice who may further roll back federal voting-rights protections, the Mississippi State Conference of the NAACP is announcing a rally in Atlanta on Aug. 6 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act and to call Congress to extend the Act beyond 2007.

Gary Flowers, vice president of Public Policy of the Rainbow Push Coalition has been traveling to 10 states and 19 cities in 10 days, mobilizing full reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act. Flowers was in Jackson July 25.

Flowers said the act currently only encompasses states that have had a history of voting abuse against minorities, but needs to cover all states.

"Had the Voting Rights Act been applied to Florida (in 2000) none of the shenanigans that took place, such as the voter roll purging and so forth, would have happened," Flowers told the Jackson Free Press. "There was no language assistance provided to Latinos, Haitians and other Americans. In 2004, in Ohio, polling places were changed the day of the election. Voting machines were withheld in storage houses. These were clear violations of the Voting Rights Act, and had the act applied to either of those states, we might have had a different course in presidential politics."

"Since the Voting Rights Act passed, (Mississippi) has had more African-American elected officials than any other state in the country. It has proven to be an effective tool to ensure the integrity of elections," said Derrick Johnson, state president of the NAACP.

The march will begin at 10 a.m. on Aug. 6 at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building at 75 Spring St. in downtown Atlanta and will end at Herndon Stadium on the campus of Morris Brown College. The rally will follow at Piedmont Park with family activities including a health fair, games, music and a "Democracy School" to teach about the Voting Rights Act. Call 601-353-6906.

Previous Comments

ID

64667

Comment

I have to agree with this one. The Act should cover all 50 states rather than just those that have a history of depriving Black and other Americans of their voting rights (I thought it did already, but obviously I was mistaken). As the article said, look no further than Florida and Ohio. Furthermore, why not make the legislation permanent in addition to applying it to all 50 states? We're constantly getting immigrants from all the globe's ethnic groups, after all - and it appears that racism will always be with us. Even if we do ever become color-blind toward African-Americans, there'll be some other group to discriminate against is.

Author

Philip

Date

2005-08-05T21:02:15-06:00

ID

64668

Comment

You know, this country we live in is a strange place. We export our democratic belief systems all over the globe, but there are so many discrepancies to our legal basis. In the midst of riot torned America in 1965, Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act. Certain specifics in certain hard core areas of the country were included. Thusly, only in several key "highly discrimminatory states" were the federal reporting provisions included. The way it goes, is; if the provisions include all 50 states, then W's conservative supreme court, could easily with just one of the 50 states challenging the provisions renewal on the basis of proving that it was included in the list of states in the original '65 Act as a "voter discrimminating" state. I understand a southern republican congressman from Georgia is pushing the all 50. Remember now these guys are conservatives. They think from an other total checanery. The democrats of ultraconservatism back then were called Dixiecrats. Prophet

Author

Prophet

Date

2005-08-06T01:00:52-06:00

ID

64669

Comment

Wake Up America! Georgia's Voter ID requirements scheduled to take affect September 1, 2005, may very well be a presursor to a National I. D.; and if this is so Big Brother will have no problem watching you. Since Sept. 11th 2001, the "state" has done some enormous actions to ensure every American's personal security. At the same time, our personal right to privacy is being curtailed. The State of Georgia is so seemingly set on delivering the requirement, that a hand-me-down bus is being utilized to take the I. D. offer to the poor impoverished masses. A waiver must be signed to say you can't afford the $20. That will make it a state form, with the possibility of persons perjuring. A criminal offense capable of causing exclusion from voting at all. http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/0805/09voterid.html Frankly, I am offended that there is such a problem about Voting in America. All of the crooks and turns in the maniplations of the voting apparatus in America defies democracy. The NAACP national says the $20 is a form of poll tax. Registering to vote in a registrars office ought to be sufficient. Yet, there are other southern states requiring photo ID. Prophet

Author

Prophet

Date

2005-08-09T04:00:02-06:00

ID

139864

Comment

Ronni, what is the toll-free number!?!

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-10-28T06:46:19-06:00

ID

139865

Comment

Here's the whole release with the 800 number: For Immediate Release October 24, 2008 Contact: Nsombi Lambright. Executive Director, ACLU of Mississippi Office: 601-354-3408 Email: [email protected] Jackson, MS. -- As the countdown to the November 4, election nears; the ACLU of Mississippi has helped form a nonpartisan coalition, Protect the Vote 2008, which has launched a statewide campaign designed to educate voters and volunteers about voting rights in Mississippi. The program includes a toll free number, 1-888-601-VOTE (1-888-601-8683), which will be staffed by legal professionals on Nov. 4, to field questions and provide legal assistance for resolving any Election Day concerns. Materials from Protect the Vote 2008 have been distributed to newly-registered voters around the state reminding them of their rights on Election Day. The program provides voter information and assistance, as well as, expert legal help, poll monitors to help voters understand their rights and voter assistance when problems arise. Protect the Vote 2008 volunteers must attend a training prior to Election Day sponsored by the coalition. Individuals who want to volunteer on Election Day for Protect the Vote 2008 can call Yumeka Rushing (Protect the Vote 2008 coordinator) at 601-201-5311 or contact her via e-mail at [email protected]. Protect the Vote 2008 is a nonpartisan coalition. Participating organizations include: the Mississippi State Conference NAACP in partnership with the ACLU of Mississippi, Magnolia Bar Association, the Mississippi Association for Justice and the Mississippi Center for Justice. For more information about the work of the ACLU of Mississippi please visit www.msaclu.org

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2008-10-28T06:53:12-06:00