• About Us
  • Paper Locations
  • Contact
Hispanic News || Shirley Ann Flower Shop || RS Deer Ranch
March 29, 2023
MEDIA KIT
African American News and Issues
63 °f
Houston
  • National
  • Local
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Announcements
  • Afram TV
  • Events
  • Entertainment
No Result
View All Result
African American News and Issues
  • National
  • Local
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Announcements
  • Afram TV
  • Events
  • Entertainment
No Result
View All Result
African American News and Issues
No Result
View All Result
  • AframNews Media Kit
  • About
  • Paper Locations
Home Local

Red…Blue…or BLACK? Voter suppression continues

aframnews by aframnews
March 14, 2021
in Local, National, News
0
Red…Blue…or BLACK? Voter suppression continues
74
SHARES
1.2k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedIn

By: Roy Douglas Malonson

You might also like

The Ensemble Theatre Announces the Inclusion of Three New Board Members

Celebrating Champions: Jack & Jill of America, Inc. North Houston Suburban Chapter 2023 Champions For Children Gala

Women’s Empowerment Breakfast

The harder we fight and the more advancements we make, the more they try to bend or change the laws to keep us away from the polls. The ballot box is under attack, at least when it comes to minorities and the right to vote.

Republicans across the country are pushing new voting restrictions aimed at, obviously, suppressing the Black vote, which triumphantly helped end Donald Trump’s reign of terror.

The one-two knockout punch that Stacey Abrams, Rep. Jim Clyburn and others delivered to the GOP has the party making “Hail Mary” attempts to ensure they are not beaten again, especially after all courts found no proof in Trump’s voter fraud allegations. So what are Republicans doing now? They are trying to block our basic right to vote, and if we are not careful, they will get away with it.

We, as Black people, usually just focus on the big-ticket elections, like presidential and mayoral races, but ALL ELECTIONS MATTER and ALL VOTES MATTER! You need to do your research and vote for your councilmembers, commissioners, school board representatives and any other leadership positions in your community.

What people don’t realize is that your elected officials make decisions on how much water goes in your commode, how much money you make, and how you eat, breathe and sleep. You pay taxes to support them to make decisions about you  – so you need to make the right decisions about who you choose to represent you. You see what happened when Trump got into office, and if you look at it clearly, you see how many Black politicians actually agreed with Trump. Sometimes, even if they don’t say it outwardly, inaction can be considered being complicit. Are the leaders you have stood by standing up for you? Some right here in our own city are not. This is very dangerous for our future.

Today, state legislators in at least 43 states are considering more than 250 bills that would make it harder to vote. A plot is underway to suppress minority voters who overwhelmingly back Democratic candidates.

A recent case presented to the U.S. Supreme Court centered around two Arizona election laws that Democrats say discriminate against Native American, Latinx and African American voters.

One of the laws requires election officials to discard any ballots cast in the wrong precinct, and the other measure bans third-party ballot collection.

With the heavy population of Native Americans in the area, with only about 26% of them living on a postal route, it would be difficult for them to cast a mail-in ballot, and there are even more issues with getting the rural population to the polls. To assist getting ballots in, community and party activists collect absentee ballots from people who don’t have cars so that the sealed ballots can be delivered to a post office or drop box. The Republican-dominated state legislature wants to make such assistance a felony.

Trying to restrict those ballots is just another obvious method of voter suppression.

In the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, which prohibits racial discrimination in voting and lays out the standard for determining when it exists, Section 2 of the law says any measure which “results in a denial or abridgment of the right of any citizen of the U.S. to vote an account of race or color” is illegal.

Chief Justice John Roberts essentially said that times had changed and that the law, in treating some states differently from others, was unconstitutional. But if you look back in history, Roberts was not favorable of the Voting Rights Act, dating back to his younger days as an aide in the Ronald Reagan Administration, when he unsuccessfully urged the president not to sign the amended law. Yet today, he presides over a 6-to-3 conservative majority on a court on the issue.

So who is really fighting for you?

Let us not forget, 56 years ago, John Lewis was nearly killed by Alabama state troopers on Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, alongside hundreds of heroic women, men and youth on what would become known as “Bloody Sunday.” His Voting Rights Act could be one of our best defenses.

The John Lewis Voting Rights Act is proposed legislation introduced after Lewis’ death. The legislation would restore parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, many of which were struck down by the United States Supreme Court in 2013 by Shelby County v. Holder. Particularly, it would bring back the VRA’s requirement that certain states pre-clear certain changes to their voting laws with the federal government.  If enacted, this legislation would help protect voters from racial discrimination and voter suppression.

Can’t you see? History is beginning to repeat itself. We are not out of the woods yet! In fact, we will NEVER be out of the woods until all of our people understand the power of the vote.  Every time we think we are getting closer, they (Whites) keep moving the goalposts. Lots of white folks still believe blacks have no rights in this country. That’s the bottom line and they are trying to take away our power to choose as a way to strike us down.

Don’t let them. Stay out front. Keep exercising your right to vote now more than ever and make your voices heard.

Tags: civil rightsRepublican voter suppressionVoter Suppressionvoting rights
Share30Tweet19
aframnews

aframnews

Recommended For You

The Ensemble Theatre Announces the Inclusion of Three New Board Members

by aframnews
March 28, 2023
0
The Ensemble Theatre Announces the Inclusion of Three New Board Members

The Ensemble Theatre has a history and a legacy of being one of the leading cultural institutions in the City of Houston.  Founded in 1976 by the late...

Read more

Celebrating Champions: Jack & Jill of America, Inc. North Houston Suburban Chapter 2023 Champions For Children Gala

by aframnews
March 25, 2023
0
Celebrating Champions: Jack & Jill of America, Inc. North Houston Suburban Chapter 2023 Champions For Children Gala

Houston, TX-Minute Maid Park’s Union Station on Saturday March 11, 2023, was aligned with some of Houston’s best known Who’s Who in community leadership for the Champions For...

Read more

Women’s Empowerment Breakfast

by Crystal LaShan
March 25, 2023
0
Women’s Empowerment Breakfast

Brothers Organized 4 Change presented Dr. Ruth J. Simmons’s “HER-OES” HONORS, which was a great Women’s Empowerment Breakfast celebrating some of Houston’s most outstanding Women leaders. Their motto...

Read more

Bebe Wilson

by Crystal LaShan
March 25, 2023
0
Bebe Wilson

Houston’s Arts Community would not be the same without Bebe Wilson’s extraordinary talent.  She has put in the work. Whether she is acting for the Ensemble Theatre, teaching...

Read more

The 2023 Mayor’s Campaign

by Bobby E Mills, PhD
March 25, 2023
0
The 2023 Mayor’s Campaign

In 1963, Ebony Magazine featured an article on the three best cities for Black Americans to reside, thrive, and live in. These cities were Los Angles, Atlanta, and...

Read more
Next Post
COMMENTARY: The Corrupt GOP pursuit of power

Commentary: Double-Minded Males

Latest Articles

The Ensemble Theatre Announces the Inclusion of Three New Board Members

The Ensemble Theatre Announces the Inclusion of Three New Board Members

March 28, 2023
Chasing The Rugby and Football Dream

Chasing The Rugby and Football Dream

March 25, 2023
Celebrating Champions: Jack & Jill of America, Inc. North Houston Suburban Chapter 2023 Champions For Children Gala

Celebrating Champions: Jack & Jill of America, Inc. North Houston Suburban Chapter 2023 Champions For Children Gala

March 25, 2023

NEED PAST ISSUES?

Search our archive of past issues Receive our Latest Updates
* indicates required
  • Local
  • National
  • Community
  • Education
  • Politics
  • COVID-19
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports

ARTICLES

  • Local
  • National
  • Community
  • Education
  • Politics
  • COVID-19
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Sports

CONNECT WITH US

  • Home
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

  • Hispanic News
  • Shirley Ann’s Flower Shop
African American News and Issues

African American News & Issues
6130 Wheatley St
Houston, TX 77091
(713) 692-1892

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Copyright © 2023. African American News & Issues. All rights reserved. Private Policy | Terms of Use |

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Local
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Education
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Announcements
  • Events
  • Afram TV
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023. African American News & Issues. All rights reserved. Private Policy | Terms of Use |

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?