BreakTheChain.org
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Let's Take A VoteDate Added: Nov. 19, 2001
It's hard to believe that as late as 1965, many American citizens did not have the right to vote, but the 15th Amendment to the constitution and the Voting Rights Act of that year changed that. Now, we're led to believe that blacks' rights to vote will "expire" unless we do something about it. This is a false rumor, perhaps borne of a misunderstanding of the intricacies of public policy. I say we, I mean others of us out there who wonder if everyone else out there knows what the significance of the year 2007 is to Black America? Did you know that our right to VOTE will expire in the year 2007? Seriously! The Voters Rights Act signed in 1965 by Lyndon B. Johnson was just an ACT. It was not made a law. In 1982, Ronald Reagan amended the Voters Rights Act for another 25 years. Which means that in the year 2007 we could lose the Right to vote! Does anyone realize that African Americans are the only group of people who require PERMISSION under the United States Constitution to vote! In the year 2007, Congress will once again convene to decide whether or not Blacks should retain the rights to vote (crazy but true). In order for this to be passed, 38 states will have to approve an extension. This is ludicrous! Not only should the extension be approved, but also the ACT! Must be made a law. Our right to vote should no longer be up for discussion, review and/or evaluation. We must contact our Congresspersons, Senators Alderpersons, etc., to put a stop to this! As bona fide Citizens of the United States, we cannot "drop the ball" on this one! We have come too far to let government make us take such a huge step backward. o please, let us push forward to continue to build the momentum towards gaining equality. Please pass this onto others, as we are sure that many more individuals are not aware of this. I urge all of you that are able, to contact those in government that have your vote and make them aware of our combined concern for this issue. One voice!...... One Vote! You cannot complain, if you do not participate ... local, State, & national... When I received this one I had no choice but to pass it on. Please do the same! Many laws governing civil rights must be reauthorized at prescribed intervals. The point of reauthorization is to make sure the letter of the law keeps up with trends in society. An law left to stand without changes could become so out of date that it may lose its effectiveness. Reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act may change how the law is enforced, but it will not (and cannot) change the underlying guarantee of the right to vote for all American citizens. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Constitution guarantees that voting rights of all citizens "are permanent and do not expire." The act contains several "extraordinary remedies" that govern several aspects of elections that must be reauthorized every few years. President Bush signed into law the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 on July 27, 2007, so this chain is now out of date. Some versions of this letter attribute it to Camille Cosby (wife of Bill Cosby). In a 1998 editorial Mrs. Cosby used the rumor of the Voting Rights Act expiration as one of several examples that "racism and prejudice are omnipresent and eternalized in America's institutions, media and myriad entities." But, most likely she was acting on the same misunderstanding that led to the popularity of the note above. Break this chain. References: National Commission on the Voting Rights Act |