V O T I N G M A T T E R S
President Trump appointee, Attorney
General Jeff Sessions, last year ordered
Department of Justice prosecutors to file
harshest charges and seek maximum
penalties in federal cases—despite the
bipartisan trend that maximum penalties
should not be sought for minor often
drug-related crimes. Juvenile Court Judge
Dan Michaels last year asked Attorney
General Sessions to end an agreement to
address disparate treatment of black youth
in Juvenile Court. Judge Michaels was
elected over black challenger Tarik
Sugarmon in 2014.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed last
December and signed by President Trump
provides major tax cuts for the wealthy and
corporations. Other examples of government
actions with consequences of voting or not
voting are as follows:
Supreme Court influence: The 1954
Supreme Court Brown vs. Board decision
cut out the legal basis for segregation.
Supreme Court justices are appointed
by the President, who is elected by
citizens.
Worker rights: The 1968 sanitation strike
was settled with recognition of the strikers’
union by the City Council after the strike
and assassination of Dr. King.
Economic health: Congress and the President
set tax, spending, and regulatory policies that
help determine the availability of money and
credit for consumers and businesses.
Education: The City’s recent attempt to
provide universal pre-K for most children
depends on elected officials.
Education: Years ago Memphis City Schools
received additional funding through the
efforts of former Mayor Herenton and past
County Commission Budget Chairs, the late
Jesse Turner and the late Cleo Kirk.
Predatory Lending: The late State
Representative Larry Turner led an effort in
the House to pass the anti-predatory lending
law.
Close Race: Dr. Willie Herenton won election
as the first black Mayor of Memphis by 142
votes. This was less than one vote per
precinct. Every vote counts.
These actions that mold our society and
economy are made by those we elect to office
and those appointed by those we elect. We
elect not only the President of the United
States but members of Congress, Senators,
state and local government officials. It is our
obligation to protect our families by taking an
active interest in those who represent us and
their decisions that affect our families.
WHY VOTE - PAST?
The right to vote is your right and privilege as
an American citizen. For African Americans
this right did not exist until the Fifteenth
Amendment was ratified in 1870. Only
exercised for a short time during
Reconstruction, the right to vote for blacks
did not exist in practice until the 1960’s.
During those 90 years, the all-white
Democratic primary, literacy tests, and poll
taxes were eliminated through legal action.
In many Southern states, voting rights for
blacks were exercised only after federal
officials monitored voting practices under the
1965 Voting Rights Act. To get voters
registered and voting for their own interests
took years of effort by black and white
activists, some of whom LOST THEIR
LIVES to do so.
In the mid-1950’s the late Dr. J. E. Walker,
led an effort to increase Tri-State Bank
deposits, which were then used to provide
loans to Mississippi farmers thrown off the
land for registering to vote. In 1960 in
Fayette County, a tent city was set up to
house blacks thrown off the land for
registering to vote. The Memphis Branch
NAACP, led by its president, the late Jesse H.
Turner, brought food and supplies to them.
The late A. Maceo Walker led the Citizens
Non-Partisan Voter Registration Organization,
which registered thousands of blacks in
Memphis. As a teenager, I went door-to-door
with hundreds of its supporters to encourage
citizens to take rides to the Election
Commission to register (there was no mail-in
option then). African Americans should vote
because of the sacrifices made for 150 years
to obtain and preserve that right.
Voting is one way to participate in building a
better future for all on the foundation of
sacrifice by our forebears. We honor their
sacrifice by voting in every election!!
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