As one who supports the American Negro in their fight for social
justice, I endorse keeping the segregation laws as is.
http://news.msn.com/politics/ala-to-vote-on-segregation-in-state-constitution/
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Segregation ended decades ago in Alabama, swept away
by the civil rights marchers who faced down police dogs and fire hoses
in the early '60s. But segregation is still mandated by the state's
constitution, and voters on Nov. 6 will get only their second chance in
years to eliminate an anachronism that still exists on paper.
Election Day in this Deep South state could be the day Alabama amends
history.
Amendment 4 — the proposal to delete the constitution's archaic language
affirming segregation — is tucked amid routine issues of sewers, bonds
and city boundaries on a crowded Election Day ballot. It's a striking
call to see if Alabama will repeat what it did in 2004, when the state
narrowly voted to keep the outdated and racially controversial language,
bringing national ridicule upon the state.
The second time won't be any easier than the first because Alabama's two
largest black political groups are urging a "no" vote. They say the
proposed changes would wipe out some racially charged language, but
would retain segregation-era language saying there is no constitutional
right to a public education in Alabama. And they've been joined by the
state's main teachers' group in refusing to go along.
Never mind the supporters who say it's time to shed the last reminders
of an era of discrimination and project a more welcoming image of a
modern state eager to draw companies and jobs to Alabama.
Alabamians haven't been reluctant to amend the 111-year-old constitution
in the past. In fact, they've approved more than 800 amendments in their
history, making theirs the nation's longest state constitution. It is
now four times longer than the average constitution and, come Nov. 6,
could get 30 more amendments added to its heft.
But making changes involving segregationist language often is vexingly
difficult. The U.S. Supreme Court declared anti-miscegenation laws
unconstitutional in 1967, for instance. But it wasn't until 2000 that
Alabama voters removed the state constitution's ban on interracial
marriage. Even then, 40 percent voted to keep the ban.
--
J Young
jdyo...@ymail.com
http://www.americandecency.org/