March 6, 2013 by David K. Sutton
Challenging The 1965 Voting Rights Act, Here’s What I Don’t Get
Shelby County, Alabama, is challenging the 1965 Voting Rights Act before the Supreme Court. Lawyers for the county argue that Section 5 of the act is unconstitutional and threatens Alabama’s sovereignty.
Here’s what I don’t get — How is the pre-clearance required by Section 5 such a burden to the county and the state? All they need to do is get approval from the federal government when they make voting changes. If they aren’t trying to subvert democracy or disenfranchise minorities, then no problem, changes approved. It seems to me the only problem Shelby County has is, well, Shelby County. Play by the rules and there are no problems.
They want the country to believe the South has changed, but we know better. Gone are the days of overt, Jim Crow-style racism. In it’s place, and nearly as sinister, is a covert form of racism. Segregate all the minorities, particularly if they are black, into their own districts, leaving the majority of districts in the state to white conservative majority rule.
If there is one thing we learned in the 2012 election, pre-clearance, and the entire Voting Rights Act, should extend to all 50 states. But it is the southern states that still show the greatest disregard for the democratic process. Forty-eight years is not a very long time when it comes to wiping out racism and bigotry.
The motives of those who would challenge the Voting Rights Act, are highly suspect.
