Tag Archives: Voting Rights Act

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Rep. John Lewis Speaks Out against Voter Suppression legislation being brought to the floor of Congress – in 2012


May 10, 2012 by    

it is hard and difficult and almost unbelievable that any member, especially a member from the state of georgia, would come and offer such amendment. there’s a long history in our country, especially in the 11 states that are — of the old confederacy from virginia to texas, a discrim — of discrimination based on race. on color. maybe some of us need to study a little contemporary history dealing with the question of voting rights. just think, before the voting rights act of 1965, it was almost impossible for many people in the state of georgia, in alabama new york virginia, in texas, to register to vote, to participate in the democratic process. the state of mississippi, for example, had a black voting aged population of more than 450,000 and only about 16,000 were registered to vote. one county in alabama was more than 80% but not more than — but not a single registered african-american voter, people had to pass a literacy test. one man was asked to count the jelly beans in a jar. it’s shameful to come here tonight and say to the department of justice you must not use one penny, one cent, one dime, one dollar to carry out the mandate of section 5 of the voting rights act. we should be opening up the political process and letting all our citizens come in and participate. people died for the right to vote. friends of mine. colleagues of mine. speak out against this amendment. it doesn’t have a place. i yield to the chairman. this is — i agree with the chairman. this is not the place. i will not yield. i urge my colleagues to vote against this amendment.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

The March on Washington is a people’s movement … ~~NAACP ~ ~


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The Supreme Court decision in Shelby County vs. Holder this summer shook
the very foundation of the Voting Rights Act. The very same Voting
Rights Act that brought tens of thousands of activists to march on
Washington in August, 1963.

On that hot summer day, people from every corner of our country united
for a momentous event, rallying around a shared message of civil
liberty, civil rights, and economic freedom and opportunity for all.

Fifty years later, it’s time for us to march again. The NAACP, along
with the National Action Network, Realizing the Dream, and many other
conveners will host a march in Washington, D.C. to commemorate the 50th
anniversary of the March on Washington.

We remain inspired by the titans of our movement — Wilkins, Parks, King
and more — who marched at a pivotal time in the fight for civil rights.
And if our experience this year has shown us anything, it’s that we are
at another pivotal moment in history.

Discriminatory laws cripple the chances of too many people, of all ages
and backgrounds, who want nothing more than a shot at the American
Dream.

Voter disenfranchisement prevents far too many Americans from having
free and unfettered access to the ballot box, and keeps our most
vulnerable citizens from having proper representation in government.

And far, far too many of our children are gunned down in senseless acts
of violence every day. We march in the name of Trayvon Martin and other
victims of racial profiling and gun violence.

We’ve made incredible progress, but we have a long way to go. We must
carry the torch of freedom and equality forward for the next generation.
So we march again on August 24th. We march for those who have been
trampled by injustice, and for all our heroes who marched 50 years ago.
This grassroots movement belongs to you.
The size, the strength, and the power of our movement depends on you.

 

Thank you,
Ben
Benjamin Todd Jealous
President and CEO
NAACP

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Toxic plastic found in the world’s favorite fish ~ repost reminder


Mediterranean Sea Tuna. Photo: PBS / Elena Grecucci

By John R. Platt
7 May 2015

(Takepart) – For the first time, plastic particles have been found in the stomachs of tuna and other fish that are a staple of the human diet.

More than 18 percent of sampled bluefin, albacore, and swordfish caught in the Mediterranean Sea and tested in 2012 and 2013 carried levels of plastic pollution in their bodies, according to a study published in the journal Marine Pollution Bulletin.

All three species migrate between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, so these plastic particles could make their way onto the plates of American consumers. The plastics found in the fish contained phthalates, nonylphenol, bisphenol A, brominated flame retardants, and other chemicals that previous research has linked to endocrine disruption, low reproductive rates, and other health risks.

A 2010 study by French and Belgian marine biologists estimated that 250 billion pieces of microscopic plastic were floating in the Mediterranean. A 2014 expedition by Gabriel Gorsky of Pierre-et-Marie Curie University found that “there is not one parcel of the Mediterranean Sea that is devoid of plastic or plastic fragments.” Another study published last year estimated that all of the world’s oceans combined carry more than 5 trillion pieces of plastic pollution.

The current study of large pelagic fish (which live in the open sea, away from the shores or the bottom of the ocean) examined 56 swordfish, 36 bluefin, and 31 albacore that had been caught in the Mediterranean. Of those fish, seven swordfish, 11 bluefin, and four albacore contained plastics in their stomachs.

The plastics varied in size from large pieces more than 25 millimeters wide to microplastics smaller than 5 millimeters. The swordfish were more likely to have ingested large fragments of plastic, while the albacore ingested mostly microplastics.

Most of the pieces were white or transparent, while some “yellowish” plastics were found in the stomachs of the swordfish and bluefin.

As large, “top of the food chain” predators, the fish could have picked up plastic that had first been eaten by smaller fish; a study published last year found that Mediterranean bogue, an important prey species for swordfish, ingest large quantities of microplastics. The researchers, from the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research in Italy, wrote that other plastics could have been ingested while the tuna chased schools of prey fish into shallow waters, where floating plastics are more abundant. [more]

Toxic Plastic Found in the World’s Favorite Fish

ABSTRACT: This study focuses, for the first time, on the presence of plastic debris in the stomach contents of large pelagic fish (Xiphias gladius, Thunnus thynnus and Thunnus alalunga) caught in the Mediterranean Sea between 2012 and 2013. Results highlighted the ingestion of plastics in the 18.2% of samples. The plastics ingested were microplastics (<5 mm), mesoplastics (5–25 mm) and macroplastics (>25 mm).

These preliminary results represent an important initial phase in exploring two main ecotoxicological aspects: (a) the assessment of the presence and impact of plastic debris on these large pelagic fish, and (b) the potential effects related to the transfer of contaminants on human health.

First evidence of presence of plastic debris in stomach of large pelagic fish in the Mediterranean Sea

Source: http://www.desdemonadespair.net/2015/05/toxic-plastic-found-in-worlds-favorite.html

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Protect Voting Rights ~~ NAACP Petition ~~ History

14 Comments

Wethepeople

NAACP Sign up to learn more
email zip code
Sign our petition to Congress
Tell your representatives they must act NOW to protect voting rights

The Supreme Court just made a major decision that impacts voting rights for every American. In striking down Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act — but leaving Section 5 untouched — there is no longer a mechanism in place to prevent states with a history of voter disenfranchisement from enacting such laws.

While this is a setback, it is by no means the end of the game. The Supreme Court’s decision gives Congress complete authority to ensure no person is denied the right to vote.

Communities of color, and young, women, elderly, and disabled voters are at risk. Tell Congress to take immediate action to protect the voting rights for millions of Americans. Sign our petition today.
www.NAACP.org

~~ thanks

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Voting rights are still under attack … a reminder repost

4 Comments

chriscoonsIt’s hard to believe: voting rights are still under attack.In this past election, millions waited hours to vote and faced confusing voter ID laws that made it difficult to exercise their most fundamental right.

As shameful as that is, it could get worse. The Supreme Court is considering whether to strike a critical component of the Voting Rights Act – a landmark law that protects the right to vote for all.

In Shelby County v. Holder, the Court heard arguments challenging the constitutionality of requiring jurisdictions with a history of racially-based voting discrimination to “pre-clear” changes to their voting laws. Opponents are calling it unconstitutional because it only requires pre-clearance in areas with deep, historical discrimination patterns.

Quite simply, they’re wrong. We need to let the Supreme Court – and Congress – know that we want the Voting Rights Act protected.

chriscoonsvotingrights

We can only move this nation forward when we move it forward together, and we can only do that when every citizen is assured of the opportunity to participate in our democracy. That assurance is the right to vote.

The pre-clearance requirement has proved incredibly successful in preventing covered jurisdictions from attempting to pass discriminatory voting laws.

Judging by the long lines we saw at some polling locations, the extremely gerrymandered districts and the ongoing state legislative efforts to tilt elections by restricting access to the ballot box, the Voting Rights Act is still necessary.

The Supreme Court should uphold the Voting Rights Act in its entirety.

It is incumbent on us to help make that clear.

 

We must take a stand.

Best– Chris