ROUNDTREE SWORN IN AS SHERIFF
Mayor protem vote will test new commission
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ENTERTAINMENT DEC. 27 - JAN. 2, 2012
Richard Roundtree (L), the first African-American Sheriff to be elected in the history of Augusta-Richmond County, takes the oath of office in front of the John H. Ruffin Courthouse. Superior Court Chief Judge Carlisle Overstreet (R) administers the oath as Rosa Roundtree (center), stands next to her son at the podium. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
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UrbanProWeekly • DECEMBER 27 - JANUARY 2, 2012
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Laney Museum Heritage Gala set for Feb. 2, 2013 The 7th Annual Lucy Craft Laney Heritage Gala will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center at Two Tenth Street in Downtown Augusta. The event is sponsored by The Delta House, Inc. Board of Directors. Proceeds from the event will benefit
the preservation of the museum and augment historic and art programming. This year the keynote speaker is John W. Franklin, Director of Partnerships and International Programs at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
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The event begins at 6:00 p.m. and will feature dinner, live music by Lynwood Holmes, Joe Collier and others. The Black Tie event will also feature a silent auction. Tickets are $75.00 per person and may be purchased online or call 706.724.3576. The deadline for ticket purchases is January 21, 2013.
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The NAACP MLK Parade will be on Saturday, January 19, 2013. The theme of the event is “Stop The Killings, Stop The Violence Now.” At 1:00 p.m., the Parade will start at Dyess Park Community Center, located at 902 James Brown Blvd. The parade will proceed south on James Brown Blvd., then west onto Wrightsboro Road, north onto Augusta Ave., east onto Laney Walker Blvd., north onto 11th Street, and east onto D’Antignac Street. The official viewing stand for the parade will be in front of the Lucy C. Laney Football. The Entry Cost is as follows: Car Clubs (per vehicle) $20; Cars and Trucks (per vehicle) $25; Floats $35; Churches/Clubs & Alumni Groups $35. For more detailed information and for entry forms, please call 706-724-0390.
2013 MEETINGS Ben Crawford 144 DAVIS ROAD
Augusta Georgia 30907 706-305-1698 office
P.O. Box 211886 Augusta, Ga 30917 1.800.546.2685 • Fax 706.738.6328 email: tbamakedreams@aol.com
NAACP’s 2013 Martin Luther King Jr. parade seeking participants
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Augusta Commission & Legislative Delegation
A joint meeting of the Augusta Commission and the Richmond County Legislative Delegation has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at 10:00 A.M. at the Main Conference Room Augusta-Richmond County Library, 825 Telfair Street.
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By Frederick Benjamin Sr. UrbanProWeekly Staff Writer AUGUSTA The first meeting of 2013 will tell us a lot about how the commission is to function over the next couple of years. A number of factors make this next regular meeting of the Augusta-Richmond Commission one that might prove equally entertaining and/or disturbing. For one, a new mayor pro tempore (formerly called vice-mayor) must be elected from among the 10 commissioners. Also, for the first time in a while, there will be an infusion of new blood into the commission. Four new faces (nearly half of the current commission) will be added. Three commissioners (Joe Bowles, Jerry Brigham, and Johnny Hatney) will be forced out due to term limitations and another (Matt Aitken) was not reelected. Another “x” factor that should mark this commission as unique, will be the return of former commissioner Marion Williams who will be representing Super District 9. The mayor protem vote in the first regular meeting of 2013 is sure to test this commission’s ability to govern effectively “right out of the gate.” From this vote we can see to what extent racial positioning will be a key feature in this “racially balanced” commission. Mayor Protem: Nice work if you can get it Being the mayor pro tem is a lot of work, but it has its advantages. Being the vice mayor means just that. In the mayor’s absence, the mayor pro tem gets to act like the mayor without the mayor’s pay. The consolidation bill put the mayors salary at $65,000, the mayor protem’s salary at $20,000 and the regular commissioners at $12,000. Aside from that, the mayor pro tem is the only commissioner who gets to sit at the table when the important committee chairmanships and committee appointments being handed out. If the mayor and the mayor protem can’t agree, the matter is put before the full commission, but the mayor doesn’t get to vote. (For more of mayor pro
tem’s duties see sidebar on this page.) Those top committee chairmanships give a prospective mayor protem a lot of leverage. The top candidates will normally know whether or not they have the votes lined up to become mayor pro tem. But surprises are not uncommon. Not long ago Mayor Deke Copenhaver told a reporter that he would support the election of Commissioner Corey Johnson as the next mayor protem to replace current mayor protem Joe Bowles. That p r o mp t e d Commissioner Bill Lockett to say that, such a commitment on the mayor’s behalf was tantamount to “smacking down the other commissioners.” Lockett has not actively campaigned for the position of mayor protem, but did let it be known that, ‘if called, he would serve.’ Publicly, Commissioner Johnson, has said that he has not lobbied for the mayor protem job, but his name has been mentioned almost every time the subject is mentioned among media types. The public has weighed in on this issue as well. Citystink.net, the watchdog website which has figured prominently in most of the issues that have been hotly debated over the past 15 months, recently objected to the ‘anointing of Corey Johnson,’ and made favorable comments on behalf of Lockett and Wayne Guilfoyle for the position of mayor protem. Grady Smith’s name has even surfaced in alternate scenarios. Race: The DNA of local politics From its inception, racial considerations, has been the key to the effective merger of the old City of Augusta and Richmond County. It was only by guaranteeing equal representation (five whites and five blacks) in the new governing body that any consolidation effort would have even been considered by the black community pre-1995. Once that guarantee was part of the deal, blacks in Augusta supported consolidation. In the beginning (1996), the racial distrust was such that a “gentleman’s agreement” was put in place which said, in
Some people think that Commissioner Bill Lockett deserves consideration for the post of mayor pro tem when the new commission convenes in 2013.
Guilfoyle
Johnson
essence, that if the elected mayor was white, then the mayor pro tem must be black and vice versa. That arrangement lasted for about 10 years until the political realities and changing demographics in the county prompted commissioners to scuttle the “agreement” in favor of a more race neutral remedy. Laying aside the racial prerequisites, however, did little to lessen the “drama” likely to accompany the efforts to elect a mayor protem. “Gentleman’s agreement” or not, candidates for the position like to think that they have the support of their race, but they usually need to seek support from those outside of their race especially in those years where the commission is evenly divided between blacks and whites. Such a condition exists in the upcoming commission that will be voting next week. It has been suggested that
the commission to be sworn in in 2013 will have only four whites on it. Wayne Guilfoyle, it has been noted, is of mixed ancestry, and therefore “qualifies” as a minority. That may be true, but perception is everything and Mr. Guilfoyle is generally viewed as “white” or, at the very least, viewed as an “honorary white.” (Absurdity does have its poetic license). If Mr. Guilfoyle has objected to being “operationally “defined as “white” he has not publicly made such a declaration. It would not be surprising to see some alignments being made along ideological or, more likely, strictly political considerations this time around. That would be a step in the right direction. In terms of leadership and independence, A Guilfoyle-Lockett alliance would not be surprising. Johnson could get the support from incoming commissioners Mary Davis and Donnie Smith who will replace Brigham and Bowles. Johnson voted often with Bowles and Brigham. Marion Williams knows the ropes and has the political instincts to forge alliances where none had existed previously.
Mayor Pro Tempore It’s the law A Mayor Pro Tempore shall be elected from among the district Commissioners at the first meeting in January as provided in the Consolidation Act. The Mayor Pro Tempore shall serve for a period of two years and shall have all rights, privileges and duties of the chair in the absence of the chair (excluding the right to vote to create or break a tie), and in addition shall have the right to make motions and vote on any issue, including matters coming before any Committee of which he is a member. The Mayor Pro Tempore may not succeed himself/ herself, subject to the consecutive term limitation contained in the Consolidation Act.
UrbanProWeekly • DECEMBER 27- JANUARY 2, 2012
Mayor protem vote will set the tone for new commission
UrbanProWeekly • DECEMBER 27 - JANUARY 2, 2012
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NEW LAW ENFORCEMENT BUILDING NAMED FOR RONNIE STRENGTH: The recently completed Richmond County Sheriff’s Office on 4th Street and Walton Way will be named after outgoing sheriff Ronnie Strength. The Augusta-Richmond Commission made it official at its last meeting of the year a week ago. Incoming Sheriff Richard Roundtree will be headquartered there. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
PEOPLE & organizations making a difference Regents Prof. selected
Moe’s donates $5,000 to Children’s Medical Center Moe’s Southwest Grill locations in Augusta, Evans and Aiken raised $5,186 during a November fundraiser for the Georgia Health Sciences Children’s Medical Center. Moe’s Area Manager Bill Quattlebaum (far right) presents
W p a w n i p t d p
s l c b i d $ t
a e
d Dr. Alvin V. f Terry Jr., w Professor g in the Department of s Pharmacology f and Toxicology at the Medical E p College of l Georgia at Georgia Health Sciences University, has been named a Regents’ Professor.
a check for $5,186 to Georgia Health Sciences Children’s Medical Center’s James Mumford, Vice President of Children’s Administration, and Kim Basso, Co-Manager of Inpatient Pediatric Operations and Nursing Liaison.
LIVE SUNDAY NITE SOUL
Group takes steps to make a difference for youth development
SUNDAY NITE SOUL n JAZZ Each Sunday this season
PlayBack “The Band” featuring Tutu D’Vyne
from 7p to 10p • No Cover Charge So come on out to see your favorite Augusta band perform Soul, R&B, Jazz and Classic Rock while Tutu Rocks the House with her unique entertainment persona.
Malibu Jack’s Lounge
231 Fury’s Ferry Road, Augusta, GA 30907 (706) 364-9175
Royal Youth International is inviting Augustans to join them in their ‘7 DAY WALK-A-PEDOMETERTHON.’ Pedometers will be given out on Wed., December 26, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m at the Diamond Lake Recreation Center. Participants are to wear their pedometers (which counts the number of their steps) and then redeem the results for a reward. This will benefit CRSA health resource libraries for children and build a one-room school in Mozambique, Africa. The Grand Finale will be on Wed, January 2, 2013 at 3-6 pm at the Diamond Lake Recreation Center at which time there will be a tribute to
the Sandy Hook Children. Registration fees (Pedometer included): 13 years and under $5.00; 14 -24 years old $10.00; 25 years and up $20.00 The purpose of the event is to: (1) educate parents and children about the benefits of physical fitness, (2) encourage children to participate in a physical activity on a daily basis and (3) help children make smart choices to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle now and into adulthood. For information, contact Sheila Maynard, Executive Director, 706.495.4137 or @ w w w.royalyouthinternational.org.
Paine brings holiday spirit to the needy The Paine College Community recently rallied to make the holiday season more enjoyable for those who are in need. Paine partnered with SafeHomes of Augusta and contributed holiday gifts for families who are victims and children of domestic violence. The faculty and staff of Paine College contributed to four families
from Safehomes of Augusta, which is an organization that is committed to ending domestic violence in our community as well as in the lives of individuals. Its mission is to transform victims of domestic violence into survivors. For more information on Paine College, please visit: http://www. paine.edu/
5 UrbanProWeekly • DECEMBER 27- JANUARY 2, 2012
Urban Tech
How to ‘tether’ your PC to your phone By Chris Gaylord
JANUARY
Last year, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigated Verizon Wireless for stifling a very useful smart-phone trick. While laptops often need cables or Wi-Fi networks to access the Internet, phones can log on from just about anywhere. So if you find yourself with excellent cellular reception but no Wi-Fi – such as on a road trip, in an airport, or at home during a power outage – why not connect your two devices? Let your smart phone deliver Internet access to your computer. It’s called “tethering.” Until last summer, when Verizon settled with the FCC for $1.25 million, tethering was costly. Phone companies locked away the feature behind an extra monthly fee. Even if you never went over your phone’s data allowance, the carriers wanted $15 to $20 a month to let you pass that data along to your PC. Now, thanks to new monthly plans and software, tethering is much less expensive. Verizon and AT&T revamped their data plans last summer. Both now focus on a large pool of data – anywhere from 250 megabytes to 10 gigabytes a month – that people can share across multiple devices and family members. If you sign up for Verizon’s Share Everything or AT&T’s Mobile Share plans, tethering is free of charge – as long as you stick to your monthly
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data allotment. Most smart phones come with a built-in “mobile hotspot” feature. For example, iPhone 5 owners can find the toggle by opening “Settings” and then “Cellular.” Once the hotspot is turned on, computers can connect to it as if it were a Wi-Fi network. Sprint, T-Mobile, and older plans from Verizon and AT&T still charge about $20 a month to turn on a phone’s mobile hotspot. However, because of the FCC settlement, Verizon won’t charge for using thirdparty tethering applications. The Android app store has several good options with one-time fees, such as PdaNet ($15) and EasyTether ($10). EasyTether Lite costs nothing, but blocks secure websites and instant messengers. Tether.com tried to release a thirdparty iPhone app to escape Verizon’s extra fee. However, Apple rejected the app, as it has all tethering apps. (Apple has not publicly said why.) So the engineers at Tether found a way around Apple. They rigged up a way to tether an iPhone to a computer completely through the phone’s Web browser. The service costs $30 a year and works with Apple, Android, and BlackBerry devices. You’ll need to watch your monthly data usage, but Tether.com says that its service is completely aboveboard.
12 Broad Street, Augusta, Ga.
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UrbanProWeekly • DECEMBER 27 - JANUARY 2, 2012
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Sheriff’s deputies stand on the steps of the John H. Ruffin Courthouse, as they assemble for the swearing-in ceremony for Richard Roundtree, the first African-American Sheriff to be elected in the history of Augusta-Richmond County. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
Augusta’s first black sheriff sworn in . .
Sheriff Elect Richard Roundtree addresses supporters. Photo by Vincent Hobbs Remarks by Sheriff Elect Richard Roundtree delivered on Dec. 20, 2012. This day belongs to us. Today symbolizes an opportunity for growth and for new beginnings. Opportunities filled with excitement, accomplishments, and sometimes sadness but above all opportunities filled with endless possibilities. So the challenge I face today is motivated by the idea that I have been put in a place by you, the great people of this county, to serve and lift up my community at its highest level of Law Enforcement. I am proud and deeply humbled to be you newly elected Sheriff.
By being here today, all of you have chosen to be leaders in our community and stewards for our county. But what does being a leader really mean. Leadership means setting the example. All of us both law enforcement and citizens have a responsibility to not just carry the title of a leader but to be worthy of the title. Some of us today will have an enormous amount of authority granted to us. We must be careful that we always use that authority well and use it wisely. For you see, there is no virtue in ignorance, but there is great power in knowledge. We should be proud of who we are and what we have accomplished
and we should enjoy the liberties that come with it. But we should never forget the principles for which we stand. We as leaders, must constantly find ways to warm the cold of life of the people around us. Today should also be a day of reflection. A day to look back on all the things and the people that helped you get to this point. Not just the good, but also the bad. We need to think about the mistakes we have made along the way and what we have learned from those mistakes. We need to think about the challenges we have faced and the obstacles we have had to overcome. For you see, the life we have chosen is a life of service. And a life of service requires dedication, perseverance and sometimes enormous sacrifice. This life of service can be filled with a kaleidoscope of emotional peaks and valleys. It can take us on a journey where we are able to witness the best humanity has to offer, but sadly it can also reveal the darkness of a person’s soul. This life of service is not for the lambs…. this life is for the protectors of the lambs. In the coming years, we will undoubtedly endure some difficult days. But like fire refines a precious metal, so too, will our challenges strengthen us and chisel us into better officers, better citizens, better leaders, and most of all better people. So to the Police Officers that are here today, I give you your oath as stated in the Kingdom of Heaven:
Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it may lead to your death. Safeguard the helpless And do no wrong To the families and friends that are here today. You, too, must take an oath. As no one individual can stand here today and say they achieved everything completely on their own, your oath must be that you will continue to be that loving influence that helped us make it this far. You must promise to continue to be patient and continue to be understanding. You must understand that a life of service means we belong to the world and all that we are able to give can only be given because of all that you have given to us. As I close, I will borrow a portion of the scripture of Luke that says: “For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” So as we stand tall waiting for the asking, waiting for the need, waiting for the virtue and waiting for the opportunity to serve. I pray that we will savor this day because it belongs to us. I encourage you to take time to thank those in your life who have helped you – time to appreciate those who have inspired you. And be grateful to those who have motivated you. Thank you and God Bless
7 UrbanProWeekly • DECEMBER 27- JANUARY 2, 2012 Richard Roundtree, the first African-American Sheriff to be elected in the history of Augusta-Richmond County, greets a crowd after delivering his inaugural speech in front of the John H. Ruffin Courthouse. Roundtree’s office will oversee an operating budget of approximately $57 million for law enforcement activities. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
. . . Thursday, December 20, 2012
Richard Roundtree (R), the first African-American Sheriff to be elected in the history of Augusta-Richmond County, greets supporters during a luncheon at Beulah Grove Baptist Church. Earlier, Roundtree was sworn in at the Jack Ruffin Court House. Photo by Vincent Hobbs
UrbanProWeekly • DECEMBER 27 - JANUARY 2, 2012
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Third Annual Jimmy Dyess Symposium to honor three Augustans The Augusta Museum of History is proud to present the Third Annual Jimmie Dyess Symposium, Thursday January 10, 2013 in the Museum’s Rotunda where three individuals will be receiving the” Jimmie Dyess Distinguished American Award” The symposium was created and developed to recognize this native Augustan’s courage as both a citizen and a soldier of the United States and to identify others who have shown similar valor or made civic contributions above and beyond the call of duty. The symposium will include remarks by Major General Perry Smith, who served thirty years in the United States Air Force. He currently serves as secretary of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation. Three individuals will be honored with the Symposium’s 2013 Distinguished American Award. Medal of Honor recipient Tom Kelley, Governor Carl Sanders, and combat veteran and major league pitcher, Lou Brissie. Each, in his own way, has given a lifetime of service to this nation and to his fellow citizens. There are many participating businesses, individuals, groups and sponsors who will be recognized in future press releases and the program. For more information on the Symposium please contact the Museum at (706) 722-8454. Jimmie Dyess Symposium What: Jimmie Dyess Symposium When: January 10, 2013 starting at 5 p.m. Where: Augusta Museum of History Rotunda, 560 Reynolds Street, Augusta, GA 30901 Cost: Free
Augusta Museum of History, the only Museum in the CSRA accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, was established in 1937 for the purpose of preserving and sharing the material history of Augusta and the region. From a 10,000 year-old projectile point to a 1914 locomotive, to James Brown memorabilia the collections chronicle a rich and fascinating past. The museum is located at 560 Reynolds Street in
downtown Augusta. Please call (706) 722-8454 for more information or visit our website www.augustamuseum.org. Hours: Thursday - Saturday, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm; Sunday 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm; Closed Monday-Wednesday Admission: Adult: $4 • Senior: $3 • Child (6-18): $2 • Child (5 & under): Free The 1797 Ezekiel Harris House¸ said to be “the finest eighteenth-cen-
tury house surviving in Georgia”, is located at 1822 Broad Street and is an excellent example of early Federal architecture. Fully restored in 1964 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Ezekiel Harris House is a reminder of the days when tobacco was the primary cash crop of Georgia. For more information, call (706) 722-8454 or visit www. augustamuseum.org.
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Arming educators gets a failing grade silence on the Newtown massacre by calling for a program to arm and train guards in schools as the solution to gun violence. Invoking a popular storyline from Marvel Comics, the NRA’s top lobbyist, Wayne LaPierre, said, “The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” Yet as many have pointed out, there were armed guards at Columbine High School during the massacre in 1999 and they couldn’t stop the two determined gunmen. Moreover, the calls for more armed security at schools only reinforces the schoolto-prison pipeline pattern of pushing students out of school and into the criminal justice system. As Rethinking Schools magazine editorialized, “As police have set up shop in schools across the country, the definition of what is a crime as opposed to a teachable moment has changed in extraordinary ways…. Early contact with police in schools often sets students on a path of alienation, suspension, expulsion, and arrests. George Galvis, an Oakland, Calif., prison activist and youth organizer, described his first experience with police at his school: ‘I was 11. There
by Jesse Hagopian Chalk in one hand and a handgun in the other. As a high school history teacher with a Masters in Education, I never imagined some politicians and other cultural “leaders” would be urging me to add “special forces” to my title. And yet in response to the tragic mass shooting last week at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, Del. Robert G. Marshall (R-Prince William) put forward a bill to the Virginian legislature that would require some teachers or other school staff to carry concealed weapons in schools. Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) said that teachers with licenses to carry concealed handguns should have “access to weapons in their school.” At least seven states—Florida, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee—have lawmakers who have outlined plans to introduce legislation to allow teachers to carry guns into schools or require several teachers to be armed in school buildings. Expectations and extra duties for teachers have piled up in recent years—and as budget cuts mount we
have increasingly been asked to serve as therapists, career councilors, janitors, secretaries—but now are they really asking us teachers to take on yet another role: member of a SWAT team? What’s next? Merit pay for the crack shot on the faculty? The first thing people should know before they propose that Mr. Rambo teach geometry is that teachers don’t get enough sleep to carry loaded weapons to school. With my 150 stu-
dents a day, 90 essays to grade per week, dozens of e-mails from parents to answer, college letters of recommendation to write, permission slips to sign, curricula to plan, and after school tutoring to help with, sometimes little details can slip through the cracks—like, maybe, putting the safety on the firearm? Joining the right-wing bugle call for the militarization of our schools, on Friday the NRA broke their week-long Continued on next page
Voting Rights under fire: Why we still need Section 5 By Caroline Fredrickson They were young African-Americans and supporters of equality marching peacefully from Selma, Ala. to the state’s capital to protest the murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson by police and the denial of voting rights when they were attacked by scores of state police and others, spewing tear gas beating the protestors with billy clubs. Those brutal, revolting attacks were aired nationally by major TV networks, like ABC would prove a catalyst for one of the nation’s most compelling civil rights laws, the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Quickly after what was to be known as “Bloody Sunday,” President Lyndon B. Johnson went before a joint session of Congress and unveiled the voting rights measure and provided a stirring, impassioned call for an end to oppression and an expansion of freedom. LBJ successfully moved the measure through Congress and Voting Rights Act (VRA) became a landmark law aimed at prohibiting states from abridging the right to vote, with a special focus on the states with long histories of voting discrimination. That focus would be enforced by Sec. 5, which requires those jurisdic-
Those who argue that Sec. 5 is no longer relevant were not paying attention during our past election when the provision helped stave off voter suppression in covered states. tions and localities, most of them in the south, to obtain approval from the Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia for any proposed changes to their voting procedures, to ensure they could not have discriminatory effect on minority voters. As noted by the Senate Judiciary Committee this week, this nation still has a way to go before state disfranchisement is truly a thing of the past. The committee is holding a hearing today entitled “The State of the Right to Vote After the 2012 Election,” which will feature testimony from, among others, former Florida governor Charlie Crist, Nina Perales, Vice President of Litigation of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Secretary of State of Iowa Matt Schultz. Indeed, the recent elections provided a plethora of voting rights issues. As we noted on ACS’s blog earlier this year, the burdens on voters in
2012 elections included more than just long lines; they included new obstacles such as photo ID requirements, shortened voting hours, limiting voter registration drives and lawmakers unwilling to budge much on the new restrictions. Most of these initiatives occurred in jurisdictions covered by Sec. 5. In February, the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in when it hears arguments in a case that challenges the constitutionality of Sec. 5, Shelby County [Alabama] v. Holder. Shelby County officials claim, in part, that discrimination is a thing of the past and therefore pre-clearance should be dropped. Those who argue that Sec. 5 is no longer relevant were not paying attention during our past election when the provision helped stave off voter suppression in covered states. Also, in the lead up to the VRA’s renewal, Congress amassed a huge amount of evidence (over 15,000 pages worth),
including efforts to keep minorities from the polls, to illustrate why Sec. 5 must stay intact. Thankfully the administration disagrees as Attorney General Eric Holder gave a full-throated defense of Sec. 5 earlier this month. Speaking at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, Holder said, “The nation has come too far and its people -- from all races, religions, creeds, sexual orientations, backgrounds, and walks of life - have sacrificed too much not to finish the task of ensuring equal voting rights of all Americans. That is why so many agree -- as illustrated over the past few years -- that Section 5 remains essential to safeguarding the voting rights of millions across the country.” Gutting the most important provision of this landmark law is not just unwarranted but harmful to the government’s ability to eradicate voter suppression. Sec. 5 of the VRA is both constitutional and absolutely necessary. The right for every citizen’s vote to be counted, as LBJ spoke so passionately about so many years ago, still rings true today. Caroline Fredrickson is President of the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy
UrbanProWeekly • DECEMBER 27- JANUARY 2, 2012
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was a fight and I got called to the office. The cop punched me in the face. I looked at my principal and he was just standing there, not saying anything. That totally broke my trust in school as a place that was safe for me.’ How deep into the Rabbit Hole of Violence has America managed to burrow? Deep enough so that media as well as multiple governing bodies would allow gun-lobby shills mainstream platforms that make their dangerous ravings seem respectable. Maybe even “reasonable.” Deep enough so that ideas like getting weapons into the hands of those tasked with nurturing our youth—a strategy so Mad Hatter it would be laughed off the stage or vigorously challenged by the responsible media in any other civilized country—is pondered seriously by pundits and politicians alike. And yet the recent calls from politicians for gun control, while refusing to address the underlying causes of violence in our society, have been appalling in their own right. President Obama’s plea for a national dialogue about gun violence was disfigured by cruel irony. At a press conference in the wake of the Newtown shooting a tearful President Obama said, “As a country, we have been through this too many times.... And we’re going to have to come together and take meaningful action to prevent more tragedies like this, regardless of the politics.” Obama’s grief was real, and yet so too is the
grief of the families of the at least 176 children who have been killed by U.S. drones in the name of the “War on Terror.” As journalist Glen Greenwald wrote, “Consider this irony: Monday was the three-year anniversary of President Obama’s cruise missile and cluster-bomb attack on al-Majala in Southern Yemen that ended the lives of 14 women and 21 children: one more child than was killed by the Newtown gunman.” New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s call for gun control was full of self-righteousness: “Words alone cannot heal our nation. Only action can do that. Gun violence is a national epidemic. I demand a plan. The time for talk is over.” Yet Mayor Bloomberg oversees a police force, larger than many country’s standing armies, which has a brutal history of gun violence perpetrated against African Americans and people of color. One of the latest examples was unarmed 18-year-old AfricanAmerican Ramarley Graham who was shot dead in his own bathroom in front of his grandmother and 6-yearold brother on February 2 by New York police officer, Richard Haste. Nationally, a recent study revealed that a Black person is killed by police somewhere in the United States every 36 hours. This unchecked police terror is robbing families of their children, and yet you won’t hear a politician with the bravery to talk about gun control for trigger-happy officers. The United States is currently
engaged in the longest war in our nation’s history—now having devastated Afghanistan for over 11 years, leaving many thousands of Afghanis dead as well as over 2,000 U.S. soldiers. The nation has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to occupy Afghanistan, yet every single elementary school councilor in Seattle last year was laid off for lack of funds. Any society that is so completely organized around the idea of killing “the enemy” should not be surprised when some alienated individual redefines the enemy and commits the kinds of horrendous atrocities that our government boasts about committing around the world. The idea of arming my son’s preschool teacher as a safety measure is unspeakably senseless. So, too, is spending more to bomb schools in the Middle East than to build them at home. If we truly want to work to end killing sprees, rather than just express outrage over the next one, we must address underlying causes of violence in our society. This would require reorganizing our education system and our society away from its focus dedication to mass incarceration and endless war, and instead toward collaboration, empathy, and solidarity. A society that marshaled its resources and rallied its people, not to “kill the enemy”, but to provide healthcare, housing, and education, would produce a very different kind of citizen. We could start by rehiring the elementary school councilors and supporting kids from a young age who need someone to talk with. By investing in social programs and education
Jesse Hagopian is a public high school teacher in Seattle and a founding member of Social Equality Educators (SEE). He is a contributing author to Education and Capitalism: Struggles for Learning and Liberation and101 Changemakers: Rebels and Radicals Who Changed US History(Haymarket Books). Hagopian serves on the Board of Directors of Maha-Lilo—“Many Hands, Light Load”—a Haiti solidarity organization. He can be reached at: hagopian. jesse@gmail.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
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