Discriminating against whites illegal, too

[wilebill]

Recently, U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee of Forest said Justice Department prosecutors established that in Noxubee County, the civil rights and voting rights of white Mississippians must likewise be protected from the African-American political power structure. The Noxubee County Democratic Executive Committee and its leader, twice-convicted felon Ike Brown of Macon discriminated against white voters and white candidates in Noxubee County elections.

In a stunning decision, Lee defined the charges against Brown and his Democratic Party backers as follows: " . . . the defendants have administered the Democratic primary in Noxubee County in such a way as to discriminate against white voters and white-preferred candidates; that the racially discriminatory way the elections are conducted is with the purpose of diluting the voting strength of white voters and reducing the opportunities for white voter-preferred candidates to be elected to local office; and that the result of this discriminatory administration of the Democratic primary is the dilution of white voting strength, thereby denying white voters the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice and ensuring that the black candidates preferred by defendants will be elected."Sid Salter editorial opinion. (http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070704/COL0412/707040317/1171/OPINION)

I believe this is the first case in the nation to be ruled this way. Hopefully this will be the last one and everybody will take a lesson from it.

[eyescene]

Yea! for us ;)

[cubby 1]

I was wondering when this would happen...

[fuzzis]

The link doesn't work...

[dollfus46]

Recently, U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee of Forest said Justice Department prosecutors established that in Noxubee County, the civil rights and voting rights of white Mississippians must likewise be protected from the African-American political power structure. The Noxubee County Democratic Executive Committee and its leader, twice-convicted felon Ike Brown of Macon discriminated against white voters and white candidates in Noxubee County elections.



Sid Salter editorial opinion. (http://www.myhattiesburg.com/forums/discriminated%20against%20white%20voters%20and%20w hite%20candidates%20in%20Noxubee%20County%20electi ons.)

I believe this is the first case in the nation to be ruled this way. Hopefully this will be the last one and everybody will take a lesson from it.

That's fine. Probably be overturned. You should see a map of the 6th Congressional Dist. of SC. It's a thin ribbon that snakes around SC in order to elect a black Congressman. His name is Jim Clyburn. Gerrymandering is the legal (illegal) term for it.

[wilebill]

Hmm, try this link.

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070704/COL0412/707040317/1171/OPINION

[Astra]

I think the same thing happened in Texas a few years ago, but based on party lines - the party in power redrew the districts to make sure that their opponents' voting blocs would be broken up and they'd stay in office. Anyone looking at the maps could tell the districts weren't logically drawn, or even close in measurements of area or population.

This kind of crap just needs to be put to a stop, period.

[58ford]

I personally believe that lines should be drawn along geographic features as much as is possible, and that racial, or party consideration should be illegal.
I believe that in considering a candidate I would choose the one most suited to represent my area's interest. I believe that the black man, the democrat or any of my other neighbors would, or, at least, should feel the same way.

[Conveyor Belt]

I personally believe that lines should be drawn along geographic features as much as is possible, and that racial, or party consideration should be illegal.

I believe that all angles in a drawn area should equal 360 degrees, unless impeded by the physical boundaries of a territory. That should be the law. You can't gerrymander geometry!

[Guru]

Black, white, yellow, red, polka doted, striped, man, woman, Republican, Democrat, friend, foe ... I'm going to vote for the best person in my opinion for the job. Until we stop jiggling around to fit America to all of OUR special interest groups we will never be able to be what this place was supposed to be in the beginning, one nation committed to the good of all. A true forum of residents all in the same bucket. We all got real cohesive when they bombed New York didn't we? We all got real cohesive when Katrina walked a mudhole through us didn't we? Nobody gave a rats patootie who was who when you could look up and see another person stuck in the bucket with you, your new best friend at the moment. I keep my friends, even when the dust settles. I suggest to myself that I keep that in my mind and everyone else do the same.

[eyescene]

GURU for President! 2007
:clap: Yea buddy, you got my vote!

[58ford]

Black, white, yellow, red, polka doted, striped, man, woman, Republican, Democrat, friend, foe ... I'm going to vote for the best person in my opinion for the job. Until we stop jiggling around to fit America to all of OUR special interest groups we will never be able to be what this place was supposed to be in the beginning, one nation committed to the good of all. A true forum of residents all in the same bucket. We all got real cohesive when they bombed New York didn't we? We all got real cohesive when Katrina walked a mudhole through us didn't we? Nobody gave a rats patootie who was who when you could look up and see another person stuck in the bucket with you, your new best friend at the moment. I keep my friends, even when the dust settles. I suggest to myself that I keep that in my mind and everyone else do the same.
I hate to disagree. LA & esp. N.O. Got far more money than MS & did far less with it. Argue if you want to, but Ray Nagin Immediately started putting money in pockets to insure his political career, while Ms started rebuilding, the rebuilding in NO is directly the result of NO business men who received nearly nothing from the nagin admin (where did all that money go????)

[dollfus46]

I personally believe that lines should be drawn along geographic features as much as is possible, and that racial, or party consideration should be illegal.
I believe that in considering a candidate I would choose the one most suited to represent my area's interest. I believe that the black man, the democrat or any of my other neighbors would, or, at least, should feel the same way.
That's the way it used to be until the ACLU got involved. There wasn't enough representation for the blacks in Congress. So the federal judges made the southern states only start redrawing the districts specifically to elect blacks. At Large candidates were illegal too. Diidn't matter that the 6th Congressional district of SC had a fine, popular Congressman. We had to throw him out for no other reason than his color. That may be illegal, but that hasn't bothered the judges much lately.:smt086

[dreamhippy]

Reconstruction is still in action in MS and the South. There was injustice before the War of Northern Aggression, and there is still injustice today. Making injustices continue in retaliation for past injustices; though, only causes the injustice and inequity to continue past the point it should have ended.

[Fish-Bait]

Reconstruction is still in action in MS and the South. There was injustice before the War of Northern Aggression, and there is still injustice today. Making injustices continue in retaliation for past injustices; though, only causes the injustice and inequity to continue past the point it should have ended.
Speak English...jeez. MS is in the South. Just say some folks are screwin' others.:smt118:smt118:smt118

[dollfus46]

Reconstruction is still in action in MS and the South. There was injustice before the War of Northern Aggression, and there is still injustice today. Making injustices continue in retaliation for past injustices; though, only causes the injustice and inequity to continue past the point it should have ended.

I grow weary of those who continue to point to the South when speaking of racial injustice.:zelfmoord

[EricStratton]

I grow weary of those who continue to point to the South when speaking of racial injustice.:zelfmoord

I agree, dollfus, but I never cease to be amazed at how many truly racist people still live among us....many of which are in positions of power.....I know these things because they tell me they are....I guess they think I'm a pasty, Southern white boy like them so they don't hesitate to share their racist beliefs with me....

Somewhere near the great divide there is an answer to all of this, but I don't know what it is.....I don't like the fancy line drawing, but I understand why it is there....There are a lot of people, in Mississippi and beyond, who still think blacks and other people of color are inferior.....If I were a person of color, I wouldn't want to take the risk of one of my reps being one of these guys.....I'd like to know that I had at least one voice on The Hill.....Is Benny Thompson the guy I'd want speaking for me? No...not really....but.....blah blah blah.....

[EricStratton]

I wouldn't want Jesse Jackson or Al Sharptongue representing me either.Just like I don't want Senator Lott representing me.

Yeah....at the national level, I think very few of us are truly "represented".....With the white reps, it's just a money and/or name recognition race.....With Benny Thompson, it's just an illusion of representation.....he's bought and paid for just like most of them......Gene Taylor is the only possible exception....

I hate to be so cynical and apathetic, but I guess I am....

[firefly]

I like Gene Taylor for that reason, too. I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I am an Independent. I vote for the person that I believe will do a good job, regardless of their "party"!:)

[EricStratton]

I like Gene Taylor for that reason, too. I am not a Democrat or a Republican. I am an Independent. I vote for the person that I believe will do a good job, regardless of their "party"!:)

Me too, and I love having that conversation with someone who tells me I should vote for "the party" because that's how things get done in Jackson and/or Washington.....

[politically incorrect]

Me too, and I love having that conversation with someone who tells me I should vote for "the party" because that's how things get done in Jackson and/or Washington.....

I understand your point and I agree that the person's character and philosophy of government should play more of a role than party label. However, when you send a Democrat to Congress - whether conservative or liberal - you are helping to keep a liberal regime in control of Congress. Likewise, if you are personally liberal and voted for a Republican, you would be helping to keep a conservative regime in power. For that reason, I have to take party labels into consideration, because that determines if Congress as a whole will be governed by liberals or conservatives.

[EricStratton]

Honestly, PI, I just want a guy or gal who will respond or have someone respond to a phone call or e-mail....and, I want someone who is geniunely concerned with the needs of his/her constituency(or, at least, pretends to be) and not concerned with promoting his/herself among the Washington elite (ala Trent)....this whole liberal/conservative regime talk is just media hype and something for the pundits and talking heads.....As far as Washington goes, I find it hard to discern between a liberal and conservative.....

[politically incorrect]

As far as Washington goes, I find it hard to discern between a liberal and conservative.....

Sadly, you are correct. Republicans talk conservative to win elections then govern very close to how the Democrats would if they were in power. It would be much simpler if politicians just did what they promise to do when they campaign.

[EricStratton]

Or,just tell us up front.Hey,I'm gonna screw ya'll over the first chance I get.

Or...just say, "Look, brothers and sisters.....my life is pretty shallow....my marriage is a fraud....I just want this job so I can hire some smokin, hot interns to chase around the office."

I'm not gonna say I'd respect that....but, I'd remember it at the ballot box, which is more than I can say for the mindless campaign talk foaming from the mouths of the usual candidates.....

[Guru]

I still think my civil rights are being violated if Eric Stratton is running for Knee-Capper as a Republican and Fotno_ is running for Head-Thumper as a Democrat in the same year and I can't, in the State of Mississippi, vote for each of them on the same ballot.
What if I have to choose one way or the other and during that time one of them can't get the vote he needs to stay in the race and make it to the second vote off.

[dollfus46]

Somewhere near the great divide there is an answer to all of this, but I don't know what it is.....I don't like the fancy line drawing, but I understand why it is there....

With respect to you, Eric, You may as well say "I don't like racism, but I understand why it's there." I find no room for tolerance in either situation.
Racism exists. Why? I ono. Perhaps it's those who are inferior and want to feel superior to some. It's probably more complicated than that, but I'd bet that's a bunch of it. But racism is everywhere. It was in the North in the 50's and 60's, and it's in the North today. Maybe the PC are pointing at us for the same reason there is racism? Perpetuate the myth so no one notices the vast progress the South has made against racism, so they don't have to deal with it at home. And we in the South should recognize racism exists and work to eradicate it, but at the same time, refuse to allow the "myth" be perpetuated without a fight. "Wait just one damn minute" should be our retort.

[dollfus46]

Yeah....at the national level, I think very few of us are truly "represented".....With the white reps, it's just a money and/or name recognition race.....With Benny Thompson, it's just an illusion of representation.....he's bought and paid for just like most of them......Gene Taylor is the only possible exception....

I hate to be so cynical and apathetic, but I guess I am....

Sadly, Eric, that's easier to understand than racism. We have been subjected to the influence of great flea trainers.:(

[dollfus46]

Me too, and I love having that conversation with someone who tells me I should vote for "the party" because that's how things get done in Jackson and/or Washington.....

That's exactly how so many incompetents get to Washington and embed themselves like ticks.

[Fish-Bait]

Is you is or is you ain't?

[dollfus46]

I personally believe that lines should be drawn along geographic features as much as is possible, and that racial, or party consideration should be illegal.
I believe that in considering a candidate I would choose the one most suited to represent my area's interest. I believe that the black man, the democrat or any of my other neighbors would, or, at least, should feel the same way.
You're both right and wrong.:) It should be that way. The tobacco growing area of SC has nothing in common with the tourist/fishing area of the coast. Therefore each should have a rep from their own geographical area, to represent them. However, the blacks think only a black can understand and represent them specifically. The U.S. Gov't. agrees. More segregation, to accomplish integration. Actually it should have very little to do with the individual and more about the area. It's as much about color today, if not moreso, as it was prior to 1954. This is NOT what Dr. Martin Luther King envisioned nor fought for. I have to think, he'd be as disappointed today at our efforts as we are.

[dollfus46]

I believe that all angles in a drawn area should equal 360 degrees, unless impeded by the physical boundaries of a territory. That should be the law. You can't gerrymander geometry!

Agreed. Should be. It baffles me how the rules are reworked to fit change. Reminds me strongly of Animal Farm.

[oban]

When the end of the world comes or when a person dies, no one will have to worry about any of these worldly things any longer. All will come to pass and every one will be judge accordingly.
Amen

[wilebill]

When the end of the world comes or when a person dies, no one will have to worry about any of these worldly things any longer. All will come to pass and every one will be judge accordingly.
AmenSo what do you do in the meantime? Twiddle your thumbs?

[oban]

If you have to ask, then evidently you haven't read your bible.
Isaiah 48:17 " I am the Lord your GOD, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go."
Amen

[dollfus46]

If you have to ask, then evidently you haven't read your bible.
Isaiah 48:17 " I am the Lord your GOD, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go."
Amen
I'm going to have to agree with Wilebill. You haven't solved the problem, nor answered the question, although I appreciate your faith.
Coming on as a newbie and accusing others of not reading their Bible is not the way to win friends and influence people. Just some advice. Can't be THAT evident, cause I read my Bible and I've not been able to solve the racism problem. God hasn't been successful at it either. THAT's what's evident here.

[mac]

Great. Anyone else see where this is headed?

[wilebill]

Great. Anyone else see where this is headed?Yeah. That's why I walked away from it.

[dollfus46]

Great. Anyone else see where this is headed?

Yeah, I tried to nip it in the bud, but wilebill has the right idea. I'm slow sometimes to react.:oops: