BLOODY SUNDAY AND THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT

Post by Maple Heights African American Gazette.

ISSUE 14 REAFFIRMS THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO VOTE IN CUYAHOGA COUNTY

Post by Maple Heights African American Gazette.

MAPLE HEIGHTS DEMOCRATIC CLUB: EARLY VOTING KICK OFF AND CANDIDATES FORUM, OCTOBER 7, 2014

NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER

Post by Maple Heights African American Gazette.

CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS SET TO BOOST TURNOUT AT THE POLLS

Post by Maple Heights African American Gazette.

IF YOU'VE BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME, YOU STILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE

THE HISTORY OF VOTING

Post by Maple Heights African American Gazette.

VOTING RIGHTS

Post by Maple Heights African American Gazette.

WHEN IS ENOUGH... ENOUGH IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY?

THIS [SEE PICTURE] AND WORSE HAPPENED EVERY DAY IN THE SOUTH NOT THAT LONG AGO

 

BLACKS HAD NO LEGAL RECOURSE FOR WRONGDOING (TO THEM BY OTHERS) IN THE SOUTH AND ARE STILL DEALING WITH THAT IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH TODAY

 

BLACK MEN ARE STOPPED AND FRISKED AND SUBJECTED TO EXCESSIVE FORCE EVERY DAY NOW

 

THERE'S A TRAYVON MARTIN ALMOST EVERY DAY
 

 

THERE'S A TIMOTHY RUSSELL AND MALISSA WILLIAMS RIDDLED WITH BULLETS BY POLICE STILL

 

LAWS ARE IN PLACE AND STILL BEING CRAFTED TO DENY BLACKS VOTING RIGHTS.

 

BLACKS ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST IN HIRING EVERY DAY

 

WHITE SUPREMACY IS EMBEDDED IN MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND ELSEWHERE IN GOVERNMENT (AT ALL LEVELS)

 

 

And yet they say NO REPARATIONS!
And yet they say NO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION!

Any yet they say NO TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT!
And yet they say, that in a predominantly African American community there should be NO BLACKS IN THE FIRE DEPT OR ONLY 2 BLACKS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT even though these very same people are paid by the predominantly African American community

 

 

SHAME!!! SHAME!! SHAME!!!

 

NOW WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?

 

 

 

 

Related:

 

The Case for Reparations by Ta-Nehisi Coates

 

The Murder of Emmett Till and the Lynching of Blacks

 

The New Jim Crow

 

Most White People Still Think Blacks are Intellectually Inferior

 

Black Wall Street

 

Exclusion of Free Blacks

 

12 Years a Slave

 

Pleasantville cop suspended, accused of racist post, December 17, 2013

 

Metropolitan police still institutionally racist, say black and Asian officers, April 21, 2013

 

 

What is white supremacy? by Elizabeth 'Betita" Martinez

NINA TURNER FOR SECRETARY OF STATE

STAND BEHIND THE OHIO VOTERS' BILL OF RIGHTS AND SIGN THE LETTER

From: "Rep. Diane Russell"

Of the 31 states that have recently restricted access to voting, Ohio is the very worst. Ohio Secretary of State Husted just handed down orders to slash early voting on all Sundays (Souls to the Polls), the Monday before Election Day and all evening hours -- a direct attack designed to disenfranchise low-income, African-American, elderly and student voters. I'm partnering with PowerPAC+ to help protect these important voting rights.

Every Ohioan should have the right to vote. Help us stop Husted in his tracks by taking action now. 

Husted's blatant voter suppression actions are not new. The right-wing knows it cannot win the presidency without winning Ohio. Dirty tricks at the polls date back to the 2004 presidential election when the unequal distribution of voting equipment in urban areas led to long waits in heavily African-American districts. In 2012, hoping for a GOP victory as in 2004, Republicans tried to drastically cut early voting. But in 2012 a national outcry forced the GOP-led legislature to reverse their efforts. History is on our side, and together we can stop Husted and protect Ohioans' access to the ballot. 

We cannot let Husted and his actions stand. Help defend voter rights in Ohio once again by signing our letter of support.

Right now, the NAACP, The A. Phillip Randolph Institute, and communities across Ohio are gathering signatures to put a state constitutional amendment on the November ballot. It is called the Ohio Voters' Bill of Rights, created to ensure that every voter has equal and uniform access to the polls, regardless of the political party in charge. 

Your support is crucial. In a little over a month, amendment sponsor Ohio State Representative Alicia Reece will present our signed letter of support, along with qualifying signatures to put the measure on the ballot. 

Right now, stand behind the Ohio Voters' Bill of Rights and sign the letter.

We must win this battle in Ohio. In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision that struck down a key provision in the Federal Voting Rights Act, the voting rights fight is now at the state level. 

Today's Tweet
@OhioSOSHusted is stripping important voting rights. Sign the proposed #OHBillofRights for Voting! http://bit.ly/OHBillofRights 

Our victory could inspire similar constitutional amendments to push back against the flurry of laws passed in states such as Texas and North Carolina that disenfranchise voters. 

Join us in the fight. Thanks for all you do! 

Onward,
~Diane Russell 

State Representative 
Portland, Maine

ON THE RIGHTS OF CITIZENS

 Thought for the day:

[Freedom of Speech] Opinions, conjecture, complaints, observations, / legal redress, voting are rights that citizens have.

Surveillance, invasions of privacy, intimidation, excessive force, misconduct, and acts of retaliation by public officials/public employees because a citizen exercises their rights is called abuse of power/position and there should and must be legal consequences for the person/persons who abuse their power/position. (See also "Color of Law")



Related:
Color of Law Abuses 

DOJ - Color of Law 


Filing Complaints for Color of Law Abuses:

To file a color of law complaint, contact your local FBI office by telephone, in writing, or in person. The following information should be provided:

• All identifying information for the victim(s);
• As much identifying information as possible for the subject(s), including position, rank, and agency employed;
• Date and time of incident;
• Location of incident;
• Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of any witness(es);
• A complete chronology of events; and
• Any report numbers and charges with respect to the incident.

You may also contact the United States Attorney’s Office in your district or send a written complaint to:

Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
Criminal Section
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NorthwestWashington, DC 20530

NEWSLETTER: OPENING REMARCS - DRUM MAJORS FOR JUSTICE CELEBRATION, AUGUST 23, 2013

NEWSLETTER

Opening ReMARCs
                                                       

"Wake up everybody. No more sleeping in bed. No more backward thinking. Time for thinking ahead."


That was the call we issued as we kicked off the 2013 National Urban League Conference. But this call rang out beyond the 4000-plus registrants and attendees who joined us in Philadelphia.  This was a call to America.


In recent months, we have seen increasing efforts aimed at turning back the hands of progress in voting rights, civil rights, workers’ rights and criminal justice – including the United States Supreme Court’s evisceration of the Voting Rights Act and its stripping of critical protections granted under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as well as unequal justice perpetuated by unfair laws such as Stand Your Ground.


As we prepare to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, the challenge before us now is to create a new Civil Rights Movement – one that stands on the shoulders of progress in which a new generation of people from all walks of life work together to ensure that the promise of life, liberty and economic opportunity becomes real.   If 1963 was about Jobs and Freedom, 2013 must be expanded to Economic Empowerment and Justice.  We started it 50 years ago, and it’s time to finish our business. 


Join us in Washington, DC on August 23-24 as we honor the 1963 March by continuing its work and ushering in the change necessary for ongoing progress. Our Drum Majors for Justice Celebration: Redeem the Dream Summit will take place on Aug. 23, during which we will chart our course forward, and the Civil Rights Continuation March will be held on August 24, where multitudes will gather in the same spirit of 50 years ago.


If the desire for life, liberty, justice and equal opportunity is in your soul, whether you live in a red or blue state or simply believe in the red, white and blue of this nation – you, too, cannot ignore the call.

To Be Equal “The hour is late.  The gap is widening.  The rumbles of the drums of discontent resounding throughout this land are heard in all parts of the world.” Whitney M. Young, Jr. at the 1963 March on Washington

National Urban League to Mark 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington Fifty years ago, on August 28, 1963, more than 250,000 people gathered for the historic March on Washington to demand jobs and freedom.  The March was organized by a coalition of civil rights, social justice and labor movement leaders known as the “Big Six” – James Farmer of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE); Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC); John Lewis, of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC); A. Philip Randolph of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters; Roy Wilkins of the NAACP; and our own Whitney M. Young, Jr. as President of the National Urban League. While that day is most remembered for Dr. King’s landmark  “I Have a Dream” speech, Whitney Young and a host of other speakers took the podium to call for the passage of long overdue civil rights legislation and to demand jobs, a living wage, decent housing and quality education for all.  As America prepares to mark the anniversary of this watershed moment and in the same spirit of unity and collaboration that Whitney Young brought to the 1963 March, the National Urban League will again join with other leading civil rights organizations to mobilize citizens across the nation to gather in Washington, DC to continue to press for economic empowerment and justice.

To Be Equal

EDUCATOR, COURAGEOUS AND INFLUENTIAL CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY, JULIUS CHAMBERS, DEAD AT 76

On Saturday, August 3rd, esteemed civil rights attorney Julius Chambers, who had been in ill health, passed away. 

 

For his courageous and successful efforts in fighting discrimination in Charlotte, North Carolina, his car was firebombed, his home bombed, and his office torched and destroyed.   Yet, this never stopped Chambers from fighting employment discrimination, capital punishment, and other civil rights cases.

 

 

See his impressive bio at:

Huffington Post

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Wiki


Law partners remember civil rights pioneer Julius Chambers

RALLY ON STEPS OF SUPREME COURT FEB 27TH TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS

From "The National Urban League Wire":

 

Published: Tue. Feb 5, 2013 at 5:01 pm | Updated: Tue. Feb 5, 2013 at 5:10 pm |

"From the President's Desk [President of the Urban League]:

 

If the widespread voter suppression efforts across the nation in the last two years has demonstrated anything, it’s that the Voting Rights Act is as necessary in 2015 as it was when it was signed in 1965.

But on Feb. 27, the Supreme Court will consider eliminating all or part of the government's strongest defense against discrimination.

Section 5 of the Voting Right Act requires all or parts of 16 states with a history of discrimination in voting to get federal approval before making any changes in the way they hold elections. Under Section 5, the U.S. Department of Justice was able to block several discriminatory voter suppression measures in the last year.

But Shelby County, AL v. Holder challenges Section 5, saying it's no longer necessary. The National Urban League along with other civil rights and advocacy groups, will rally on the steps of the Supreme Court on February 27 to say it is still necessary.

Voter suppression efforts in the last two years threatened the constitutional rights of nearly 5 million people. If we want the Voting Rights Act to defend us, we have to defend it. Join us on February 27 and stand up for the integrity of the electoral process."

 

 

 

National Urban League


-

TAKE ACTION TO STOP VOTER SUPPRESSION

"In a time when numerous states are considering or have already enacted legislation to restrict or suppress voter participation, Congressman John Lewis (GA) and 165 of his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced H.R. 12, the Voter Empowerment Act. Senator Kristen Gillibrand (NY) has introduced a companion bill in the Senate (S. 123). This important legislation would expand and protect voters’ access to the polls and would increase accountability and integrity among election officials and poll workers. It also would expand eligibility to allow all ex-offenders who have been released from prison (even those who may still be on probation or parole) to register and vote in federal elections.

 

For more information on this legislation, or how you can advocate for it with your federally elected officials, please review the attached Action Alert."

 

Sincerely,

 

Hilary

Hilary Shelton
Director, NAACP Washington Bureau &
Senior VP for Advocacy and Policy
(202) 463-2940

 

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE ACTION ONE NEEDS TO TAKE

 

 

S"pecifically, the Voter Empowerment Act would:

• Guarantee early voting – require that every state establish early voting sites that are open at least 15 days prior to a general election day;
• Require automatic registration – the bill would use modern technology to automatically and permanently register all eligible voters;
• Allow same-day registration throughout the country – H.R. 12 / S. 123 would ensure allow voters to register to vote on election day at their polling place;
• Ensure on-line voter registration – the Voter Empowerment Act would ensure that on-line voter registration is a viable option nationally;
• Outlaw “voter caging” – makes illegal a practice by which mail is sent to a registered voter's address and, if the mail is returned as "undeliverable" or if it is delivered and the voter does not respond, his or her registration is challenged;
• Clarify and strengthen the use of provisional ballots – ensures that provisional ballots are counted;
• Make voter intimidation and deception punishable by law – with strong and tough penalties so that people who commit these crimes suffer more than just a slap on the wrist, and establish a process for reaching out to misinformed voters with accurate information so they can cast their votes in time;
• Re-enfranchise ex-offenders – H.R. 12 / S. 123 incorporates the provisions of the NAACP–supported “Democracy Restoration Act” by allowing ex-offenders, once they are out of prison, the opportunity to register and vote in federal elections without challenges or complication;
• Encourage youth voters – the Voter Empowerment Act requires colleges and universities to offer and encourage voter registration to all students;
• Assure voting by overseas residents – H.R. 12 / S. 123 increases assurances that Americans who may be living overseas, especially those serving our country in the armed services, can cast a valid vote and be assured that their vote was counted."

 

 

Stop Maple Heights City Council From Trampling on Your Voting Rights

[If they can do it to us, they can do it to you ... and may already have]

Richard Taylor who ran for councilman in Maple Heights, OH (district 5), passed away before being sworn into office. Members of Maple Heights City council have decided to take away (district 5) registered voter’s right to elect their own council person. City council decided to take (what amounts to) job applications for that (elected) position; and they say they will decide who the next council person will be to represent district 5 for the next 2 years without any special election.

We've heard of appointments being made on a short, temporary basis ... but what Maple Heights City Council and the law director are doing (we feel) is reprehensible and probably unconstitutional.

A very important reason why everyone should care about this:
We believe the civil and political rights of the residents of Maple Heights district 5 are being violated  (meaning we believe that what Maple Heights City council, and the law director are doing is unconstitutional). 

These people have the audacity to say that what they are doing is legal.  Now you've really pissed us off.  Well, we say to them ... Jim Crow laws were legal.

I don't think this bunch really want the world focused on Maple Heights gov't, because if you look at who controls the power and money in Maple Heights, it's not the African American community who make up close to 70% of the population.  Seems like they want to keep it that way.

We don't want a puppet master to choose our representative.


Our final words: Since the council person would represent the residents of Maple Heights, district 5 for the next 2 years, only the registered voters of that district should be able to choose their own council person (just as the other districts do), and not members of the Maple Heights City Council, the law director, or the Mayor of Maple Heights.
-

If you agree, sign the petition to stop Maple Heights City Council

Addendum: The use of the 1924 case law by this law director, could be construed by members of council, as an act of intimidation ... that if they do not go along with the leadership and majority rule, they could find their seats declared vacant too.

John Montello, Maple Heights law director,  has stated his legal opinion (bear in mind that it is just an opinion):

Click on the image to enlarge: