Showing posts with label racsim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label racsim. Show all posts

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Intimidating Billboards Attempt to Suppress Black Voters in Ohio, Wisconsin



Tell me once again that the Republican-sponsored Voter ID Laws in numerous states are intended only to preserve American Democracy and not to suppress minority votes (which, typically lean heavily Democratic).

Just last week, intimidating billboards began appearing in predominantly black neighborhoods in Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio (battleground state) and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin informing residents that "Voter Fraud is a Felony!" and is subject to "3 1/2 years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine".  The sole image is one of a judge's gavel striking a block.

As if it's not bad enough that Republican legislators and Republican operatives have altered voting regulations in many states in order to remove legitimate Democratic voters from the voter rolls, NOW they have erected billboard signs in predominantly poor, lower-education, minority neighborhoods implying that simply casting a vote can land you in jail.

This is absolutely outrageous and the only way to fight this blatant attempt at voter intimidation is for every one of us to redouble our efforts to get out the vote on November 6th.

You can read the full article here on Bill Moyers web site:
http://billmoyers.com/2012/10/11/ohio-voter-fraud-billboards-target-minorities/

In 2010, the right attempted to suppress the Latino vote by creating a front group called "Latinos for Reform" and running an ad on Spanish language TV instructing viewers that the "only way to send a clear message to Washington is to NOT vote!"  You can read about that attempt here:


Sunday, September 19, 2010

Is Hatred Really Freedom of Speech?

Note: I recently stumbled across this letter to the editor I wrote just over a year ago.  Sadly, it's still all too true. -- John


I agree that freedom of speech is a paramount American liberty. However, at what point does YOUR freedom of speech impinge upon my own freedoms?

We have all come to learn that giving a soap box to those who spew anger and hatred towards others encourages action and, often, violence. You can veil it any way you choose, but promoting hatred towards others seldom leads to promoting freedoms. In fact, it almost always promotes the exact opposite.

When Glen Beck encourages his audience to believe that Obama is a racist and hates white people, it stirs up a deep-seated anger and provides a "cover" beneath which to justify actions which could, otherwise, never be justifiable. Same goes for Bill O'Reilly's anger toward George Tiller. And it is not just Beck or O’Reilly or the hosts at Fox News.

When the people we entrust to conduct the national dialog, use their positions to incite anger and (eventually and unavoidably) violence, we ALL lose our freedoms.

It's one thing to address people's existing fears and concerns.

It is entirely something else to CREATE them.
 
 
John Epstein
August 2009