by: The Civil Writer

Quick Thoughts on Next Steps after Shelby v. Holder

I wanted to switch gears for a moment as I have been giving thought to some of the comments posted by Hillary Clinton from her visit with the Deltas during their centennial. Specifically turning to the issue of voting rights after the SCOTUS’ recent decision in the Holder case.

While Section 4 (the pre-approval) portion of the Voting Rights Act may be done away with (possibly forever), we must figure out ways around what was lost to ensure that hundreds of thousands of citizens (often citizens of color) will not become disenfranchised. One interesting approach is actually not trying to fight the difficult battle on the federal level, rather for the residents of those states affected (Miss., Ala., Tx., Ark., etc.), to encourage a high level of civic involvement and engagement on the state and local level. Putting pressure on state legislators to enact or renew local laws which protect voting rights may prove a viable strategy to “hold the line” until we have a window to try and pressure a Congress of a different make up to re-enact new provisions of the Voting Rights Act similar to what was lost.

Obviously this presents somewhat of a problem because that a significant amount of being able to apply that pressure belies the notion that folks will actually be able to vote. This is why it is something that CANNOT WAIT until another national election. That will be too late. The stakes will be too high and by then, the rules will have already changed. Now is the time for those in the jurisdictions most vulnerable, to bear down on their local leaders and state legislatures to make sure that there are local laws which keep their voting rights from being abridged. Keep in mind this has already become an issue in Texas and I suspect that the other states that were subject to pre-approval under Section 4 and 5 of the Voting Rights Act and are no longer will not be far behind before trying to make changes that could adversely impact citizens right to vote.

This is important stuff. These are important conversations.

“A lawyer is either a social engineer or a parasite on society.”
–Charles Hamilton Houston

‪#‎staytuned‬

On Standing Our Ground 

Encouraging vigilante-ism through bad self-defense laws is only part of the problem. Stand your ground on the uncompromising choice to make safer communities. Stand your ground and be undeterred that we will not let injustice carry the day. Dig in your heels and stand your ground in deciding that we are through allowing entire populations to feel alienated as second class citizens. 

We, too, will stand our ground. And we do so not for just protest. We stand our ground determined to achieve progress.