Sunday, October 04, 2015

Bad history.

I saw Selma recently with wifey from the comfort of our home. My wife is younger and from the South so she loves to watch historical movies like this that deal with the civil rights struggle. She says that they make her angry (this one was no exception), but she admits that it's a necessary evil in learning to better understand the history of her country. 

Anyway, if you know the history of voting rights in the South you will understand what the movie Selma was all about. Now, sadly, history is repeating itself in the "Land Of Dixie".

"Although the 2016 presidential election is still more than a year away, Americans are already inundated with campaign promises and a flurry of candidates. But Alabama residents have more to worry about than simply picking a party.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced this week that it is closing 31 satellite DMV offices owing to budget cuts. That will leave 28 counties in the state without a place for residents to get the government-issued photo IDs they need to vote. Although it’s a statewide cut, the effects of the shutdown will be felt disproportionately.

“Depending on which counties you count as being in Alabama’s Black Belt, either 12 or 15 Black Belt counties soon won’t have a place to get a driver’s license,” wrote Alabama columnist Kyle Whitmore. “Counties where some of the state’s poorest live. Counties that are majority African American.”

In 2014, Alabama became one of 17 states that require a government-issued photo ID—driver’s license being the most common—in order to cast a ballot. When the measure was under consideration back in 2011, the American Civil Liberties Union lobbied against it, concerned that requiring photo IDs would disenfranchise black voters. Proponents of the measure said strict ID laws would prevent voter fraud. The ACLU argued that as more black residents took public transportation than white residents (62 percent versus 34 percent), black residents were less likely to already have the driver’s license they would need to vote.

Now, there will be fewer places to obtain the IDs needed to participate in the country’s democracy. The newly shuttered offices accounted for 5 percent of the state’s driver’s license transactions, according to the ALEA. Authorities also proposed sending out mobile I.D. vans and crews to affected counties. But rights activists argue that the vans are poorly publicized, and that any sort of restriction is problematic." [Source]

I suspect that there will be more of these types of cuts to come in states with strict voter ID laws that happen to have a large black population. We could see this okey -doke coming from a mile away: Pass stricter laws requiring voter identification, and close the very places that make these cards available to the public.   

Alabama joins states like Texas that are making it hard for people of color because of either racism, politics, or both. I personally suspect the latter.

"Two years ago, Alabama would have needed federal approval to make such a change. A 2013 Supreme Court decision invalidated sections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that required states well known for discrimination, including Alabama, be overseen by the federal government to implement any laws that could impact voting. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority decision that “our country has changed,”'

I bet people like John Roberts said the same thing right after Selma.

*Pic from www. aclu.org



41 comments:

Know your history said...

"...she admits that it's a necessary evil in learning to better understand the history of her country."

Ahh Selma, where the blacks took over and everyone lived happily ever after. Or not.

Have you seen the real Selma lately?

When you really gain an understanding of the history of your country, the "Civil Rights" movement isn't so black and white, so to speak. There was a reason for Jim Crow laws, for segregation, and for maintaining white control that benefited everybody. While there are many individual blacks quite capable of functioning in a civilized society, it will be many, many years before blacks as a people will be able to maintain civilization.

One would have thought there might have been a way to guarantee blacks the dignity they deserved without completely ruining the country. But that wasn't the real purpose after all, was it?

If Rosa Parks would have stayed in the back of the bus, you wouldn't need bus driver shields today, and if the white power structure had not been overthrown in Selma and countless other cities, they wouldn't have crumbled into violent hell-holes where nobody wants to live.

Too little black control is not what makes black lives not matter.

dinthebeast said...

It says something about their agenda that they feel they have to cheat in order to win. Poltroonery at its finest.
And to the above troll: When, then, are white people going to be able to "maintain civilization"? Or for that matter, any people at all?

-Doug in Oakland

A Black Panther Forever said...

People that drop bombs on other people are so so civilized. Funny how USA and Russia can speak to each other to avoid bumping into each other during their (both) bombing runs, but can't communicate with the many boogie men that receive these bombs.

Bill said...


The FieldNegro said...
making it hard for people of color because of either racism, politics, or both. I personally suspect the latter.


If Black people were voting rethug would rethugs make it harder to vote?

PilotX said...

The more things change. Just saw the Black Panthers movie with Mrs. X tonight and you can hear some of the same language used to describe them that is being used to describe the BLM movement. I bet brotha Panther can speak more eloquently on this matter.

Anonymous said...

"If Black people were voting rethug would rethugs make it harder to vote?"

Sounds like a great Republican campaign slogan: vote for us or we won't let you vote.

Wait, isn't that the third-world dictator's playbook? Robert Mugabe and Kim Jong Un would be so proud to learn they were able to inspire an American political party.

All Lives Matter said...

PilotX said...
The more things change. Just saw the Black Panthers movie with Mrs. X tonight and you can hear some of the same language used to describe them that is being used to describe the BLM movement.
--

That is because they are both at root evil.

Anonymous said...

PX, glad you saw the movie "The Black Panthers". I saw it and believe 'everyone' should see it, which I mentioned about two threads ago on FN.

It's too bad folks don't remember or understand their history. Remembering and Understanding our history just might save us.

Of course, NOT remembering will destroy us.

As George Santayana once said, "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Field's post alludes to repeating our history. The difference this time is the police and government have weapons that can overpower and destroy people quickly.

Control the Goyem said...

Fake history still being made today, with CNN changing the complexion of their broadcast story photos of the Oregon shooter to make him look white, when we all know he is black as Obama. All of his social media accounts have been shoved down the memory hole as well.

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/10/02/the-curious-case-of-oregon-shooter-chris-harper-mercer-a-social-media-profile-shaped-modified-and-deleted/

Anonymous said...

"Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority decision that “our country has changed,”'"

Justice Roberts doesn't understand history and should go see "The Black Panthers". But then again, maybe he did, and that was why the Court of the Land made the decision that would give the states and the GOP the Power to discriminate and disenfranchise Black voters.

The Supreme Court is no longer a Supreme Court for the people. Thanks to Justice Roberts along with some other Justices, The Supreme Court is for 'Whites Only'.

anotherbozo said...

Anybody happen to notice this story on CNN? Mainstream media of any kind?

I found it here a coupla days ago:
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a38461/alabama-voter-id-dmvs/

But I'd be surprised if any outlet with many readers or viewers reported on this. Too "controversial." Why, there's no link here! It's all in your mind! Left-wing paranoia!

Trying to surpress the vote of ANYONE is traitorous, pure and simple. As un-American as you can get.

No justice, no peace said...

"Trying to surpress the vote of ANYONE is traitorous, pure and simple. As un-American as you can get."

In Virginia and Ohio, military and overseas ballots have fallen 70 percent since 2008, according to the Military Voter Protection Project. Ohio received only 9,700 ballots in September, whereas in September 2008, it received 32,000. So, why aren’t soldiers voting? In many cases they simply can’t, and they have their commander in chief, President Obama, to blame.

Hundreds of thousands of our uniformed personnel have been shut out of the process, and we can thank the Obama administration and even the Obama campaign for this tragedy. After poor turnout in 2008, Congress passed the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (Move) Act to ensure that all military are provided with the opportunity to vote. The act put standards in place, such as mailing absentee ballots no later than 45 days before an election and requiring installation voting assistance offices to be built at most military bases and posts.

The Obama administration should be prosecuted for knowingly and willingly violating the Move Act, as well as the Voting Rights Act.


http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/nov/5/obama-suppressing-the-military-vote/?page=all

Obama Seeks To Suppress White ‘Blue Color’ Vote:

http://sweetness-light.com/archive/obama-seeks-to-suppress-white-blue-color-vote

Hey Bozo, you find a good tree and I'll get the rope.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Control the Goyem said...
"Fake history still being made today, with CNN changing the complexion of their broadcast story photos of the Oregon shooter to make him look white, when we all know he is black as Obama. All of his social media accounts have been shoved down the memory hole as well."

This is simply not true. You are being dishonest and racist.

Control the Goyem said...

You are being docile and obedient.

We will kill you last.

anotherbozo said...

@No justice, no peace:

One of your sources is the newspaper founded by Sun Myung Moon, and the other got the Conservative Political Action Conference award.

No need to investigate further. But your insinuation about lynching Obama was telling enough. What wit! LOL!

No justice, no peace said...

Those who stand with traitors will swing with them.

anotherbozo said...

@No justice, no peace:

Unfortunately, learning which sources deal in propaganda and which deal in facts requires both education and honesty. Quotes to support practically anything are easy to come by.

Ministry of Truth said...

Apparently the Oregon mass murderer, Chris Harper-Mercer, was also a fan of the Islamic State (ISIS), having made an online purchase of the ISIS flag:

http://www.barenakedislam.com/2015/10/05/well-well-apparently-the-oregon-mass-murderer-chris-harper-mercer-was-also-a-fan-of-the-islamic-state-isis/

Thank God it wasn't a Confederate Flag!

Anonymous said...

Fuck white people.

Anonymous said...

Mexico requires voters to have a photo voter ID in order to cast their ballot. Them people is racist.

Sir said...

The white race is the most useless thing on the planet. Not just race or humans, but THING.

Think about that.

Anonymous said...

I guess you would have liked to get polio, Sir, instead of the polio vaccine. You is an idiot.

Unknown said...

Van Jones said that no two black teens would have shot up Columbine. Well now a white black guy has shot up a community college. And a black guy in Virginia shot two ex coworkers in cold blood. What say yea now Van. No one is talking about the Oregon shooter being a white black guy. It was racism both times.

Unknown said...

Van Jones said that no two black teens would have shot up Columbine. Well now a white black guy has shot up a community college. And a black guy in Virginia shot two ex coworkers in cold blood. What say yea now Van. No one is talking about the Oregon shooter being a white black guy. It was racism both times.

Anonymous said...

"Fake history still being made today, with CNN changing the complexion of their broadcast story photos of the Oregon shooter to make him look white, when we all know he is black as Obama. All of his social media accounts have been shoved down the memory hole as well."

Get a grip. All biracial people do not look like President Obama. Lots of black people in the U.S. have quite a lot of white ancestry already, so if they have a kid with a white person, the child may end up looking mostly white.

There's no evil media conspiracy to "lighten" the shooter's appearance.

OptimusPrimeX said...

It's hard to make the white racism argument, when the VA shooter was black, the OR shooter was black, and Chicago has the most deadliest month in a decade and most of it black on black.

The whites did it argument creates a roadblock to meaningful conversation.

But if reasonable minds were to query on whether they could live in a community with law enforcement strategies yielding these results, they would say no.

Reasonable minds would not think a fellow law abiding citizen or children should be subjected to such environments.

Therefore, I think the answer is simple.

Give those communities the type of law enforcement and justice systems that would prevent these statistics.

I'm not as learned, or passionate as my fellow black posters, but I try to look for a process based solution, not a person or group to blame.

OptimusPrimeX said...

What if the minds from Google or Apple were engaged to solve a gun violence problem? or a law enforcement systems problem? or a equal justice system problem?

The solution could be race neutral, non political or not clouded by historical context.

The issue is there is no financial incentive to solve the problem.

Bill said...


The FieldNegro said...
making it hard for people of color because of either racism, politics, or both. I personally suspect the latter.


If Blacks voted rethug, would dumbocrats make it harder to vote?

Anonymous said...

"Van Jones said that no two black teens would have shot up Columbine. Well now a white black guy has shot up a community college. And a black guy in Virginia shot two ex coworkers in cold blood. What say yea now Van. No one is talking about the Oregon shooter being a white black guy. It was racism both times."

Van Jones was wrong.

People need to knock off the racial point-scoring about these sorts of mass shootings. Some people of color are violently insane. And some of those insane people of color get ahold of guns and do horrific things with them, just like white folks do. (See: Aaron Alexis, who killed 13 random people at the Washington Navy Yard because the voices in his head told him to.)

Hell, in this case, the shooter's mama was a black female gun nut with a huge arsenal of weaponry for her son to use. You don't see that every day, but it was true in this case.

Anonymous said...

"What if the minds from Google or Apple were engaged to solve a gun violence problem? or a law enforcement systems problem? or a equal justice system problem?

The solution could be race neutral, non political or not clouded by historical context.

The issue is there is no financial incentive to solve the problem."


No, the issue is there is a financial incentive NOT to solve the problem. The NRA and the gun industry are supplying that incentive (to politicians, in the form of lobbying and donations).

Anonymous said...

"If Blacks voted rethug, would dumbocrats make it harder to vote?"

No. Because Democrats actually believe in democracy, unlike that other party. Why, it's even in their name. :-D

OptimusPrimeX said...

Anon 7:21-25, I agree with your position. I wonder how big is the 'financial incentive NOT to solve the problem'? Dividing this number by the number of lives lost due to lack of gun control, would probably define, in dollars, the value of human life, for every politician that opposes Gun Reform.

This politician can't value a fetus more than an existing human, for the sake of political power.

That would not be Christian.

Maybe, one of our more conservative commenters can explain

Shooter said...

"No, the issue is there is a financial incentive NOT to solve the problem"

The problem is the government cannot be trusted.

The solution was the second amendment.

An armed citizen is a free citizen.

OptimusPrimeX said...

Shooter,

Are you suggesting, the citizens of Chicago simply shoot back? The Chicago law enforcement/justice system cannot be trusted to keep the communities safe?

I think it is an interesting proposition. Would it lead to anarchy? How do you keep law enforcement safe if everybody has guns?

field negro said...

"An armed citizen is a free citizen."

Or one more likely to end up dead.

http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/160/10/929.full

Anonymous said...

Mr Field, why do you let your commenters, both Black and White, call the shooter "Black", when in fact he is a 'Muslim'?

Are you trying to ignore, deny or hide the 'Muslim factor' in black/brown mass shootings?

Anonymous said...

"Are you suggesting, the citizens of Chicago simply shoot back? The Chicago law enforcement/justice system cannot be trusted to keep the communities safe?"

No, he is suggesting that he needs the ability to shoot back at the government when they attempt to enforce these things called "laws," which are created by people called "legislators," who are voted for under a system called "democracy."

He is not a fan of democracy because most other people do not share his loony-tunes opinions and tend to vote for things he doesn't like.

Anonymous said...

"Mr Field, why do you let your commenters, both Black and White, call the shooter 'Black', when in fact he is a 'Muslim'?"

Because he wasn't a Muslim.

And even if he had been, that wouldn't change his ethnic background. Muslim isn't a race -- it's a religion.

field negro said...

TY Anon@9:11. I am embarrassed to say that I am behind on my payments to Anon Inc. so the quality of my anonymous comments are not quite up to snuff.

Shooter said...

field negro said...
"An armed citizen is a free citizen."

Or one more likely to end up dead.
------

Gun control is for slaves.