The state of Alabama, which requires a photo ID to vote, announced this week that it would stop issuing driver’s licenses in counties where 75 percent of registered voters are black.
Due to budget cuts, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said that 31 satellite DMV offices would no longer have access to driver’s licenses examiners, meaning that residents will need to travel to other counties to apply for licenses. The move comes just one year after the state’s voter photo ID law went into effect.
AL.com’s John Archibald asserted in a column on Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Justice should open an investigation into the closings.
“Because Alabama just took a giant step backward,” he wrote. “Take a look at the 10 Alabama counties with the highest percentage of non-white registered voters. That’s Macon, Greene, Sumter, Lowndes, Bullock, Perry, Wilcox, Dallas, Hale, and Montgomery, according to the Alabama Secretary of State’s office. Alabama, thanks to its budgetary insanity and inanity, just opted to close driver license bureaus in eight of them.”
“Every single county in which blacks make up more than 75 percent of registered voters will see their driver license office closed. Every one,” Archibald explained. “But maybe it’s not racial at all, right? Maybe it’s just political. And let’s face it, it may not be either… But no matter the intent, the consequence is the same.”
Okay seriously does anybody NOT think this is racially and politically motivated?
"Okay seriously does anybody NOT think this is racially and politically motivated?"
ReplyDeleteYeah - Alabamans in control.
Every preacher in EVERY black church down there should make their buses available on Election day, to take their congregants to vote. Form car pools. Set up a fund for gas money, millions would donate for this. What a giant step backwards. Another sign of how scared the gop is of losing in a fair election. This HAS to be stopped. There is plenty of time before election day to put a stop to their sleazy tricks. EVERYONE has a right to vote.
ReplyDeleteI hope they get slammed hard in court for this.
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteI appreciate your voice so much!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is completely political because they want to win. It's also completely racial because the aging, ruling political class need so desperately to reclaim the period in time where their "lie of superiority" ruled the land. The good news: The fact that "they" made this move indicates a real fear and impact of an organized uprising by those who will vote in 2016.
On the other hand . . .
It's extremely hurtful that everything the aging political ruling class have been planning for so many years is being publicly implemented with the support of the media's and law enforcement's giant megaphone. The fault on the side of my community -- the silent pushback, disjointed messaging, and disorganized leadership by our community's (African American's) representatives -- is astounding and so disappointing when they have so many other outlets to deliver a message of strength and unity they choose not to capitalize on (hip hop music, reality tv, social media, etc...). I mean, we as a people were more organized when we did not have cell phones and tablets.
I'm saddened and simply chalk this up as just another fine example of the aging ruling political class taking advantage of our community's predicament -- (i.e., watching history repeat itself all over again). This public "walk in the shoes" moment shows what challenges are easily laid in our path as a member of the underprivileged that many will never understand or experience.
States has the power and rights to do what they want as long as they don't break federal laws.
ReplyDeleteCan the federal government do anything to help these people if they live in a hick and KKK infested state?
I suppose it could depend on how difficult it might be to have access to another DL office? And how far away.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I believe it's to coincidental not to be politically driven.
Looks like people are going to have to organize buses to DMV's in other counties to help register African Americans to vote.
ReplyDeleteJustice Dep't needs to come down on Alabama like a ton of bricks.
~Canuck~
Find the whitest, wealthiest county in Alabama, load up the busses and head for the DMV!
ReplyDeleteVoter Suppression 101 in the RepubliCon's Playbook.
ReplyDeleteBut we don't need the Voting Rights Act any more. Justices Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Kennedy, and Alito said so.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that nearly ALL the changes in voting laws affect those groups who tend to vote for Democrats is COMPLETELY coincidental.
This is just another way they cooked up to suppress black voter-ship.
ReplyDelete