The competition is heavy to decide which of our nation’s states is the most racist and bigoted. Arizona, Texas, Indiana, Georgia, Mississippi and Arkansas are all struggling to win the title, but I think we’ve found a winner, or at least the leader for now; Alabama.

Alabama will close nearly half of its offices which issue driver’s licenses and ID cards on September 30. The state is requiring ID in order to vote. It claims it is because of voter fraud. This is a blatant lie. Voter fraud is .012 percent nationwide. It is directly aimed at black voters and districts which voted for President Obama in 2008 and 2012. The closures will take place in 53 percent of the 15 counties which voted for the President.

“I am particularly appalled by this decision, in light of the 50th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery marches and the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965,” Rep. Terri Sewell, the state’s only Democratic and African-American congressional delegate, said in an Oct. 5 statement asking the Department of Justice to investigate. “It’s utterly disappointing that my home state — the very state that launched the movement towards equality — is the same state that has become fertile ground for its demise.”

Of the ten counties with primarily black population, only two will now have DMV offices. The black population of Alabama, many of whom live in poverty, often lack private transportation, and will be unable to obtain the required ID cards.

If anyone has ever believed that the GOP is not the party of racists, bigots, homophobes and misogynists, this is additional proof.

The GOP cannot win elections based on ideas; they have none. They are a destructive force which is attempting to move our nation backwards into the 1950’s. Their candidates lie, cheat, and use emotional weaponry to win; they have no other weapons.

I watched both Republican faux-debates, and the Democratic event last Tuesday. That was enough for an Independent such as myself to make a decision for 2016.

I watched a circus in which Donald Trump was the ringmaster. I heard attacks on candidates by others on the stage, and did not hear anything of substance. There was no debate.

On Tuesday evening I saw a gathering of five very qualified Democratic politicians, and guess what? A debate broke out. Having a true journalist such as Anderson Cooper made the candidates remain focused on the issues, and answered questions directly. The two leading candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, continued to refer to our nation’s biggest problem; income inequality. But they also discussed every other important issue facing our nation in addition to foreign relations. It was an intelligent and well organized event; no clown car was allowed.

American voters must cease to vote for parties. We must vote for the best and most qualified individual who will represent all of our nation’s people, not only the wealthy and their special interests.

We must do two things to make everyone’s vote count as our founding fathers intended. There must be a new Voting Rights Act to protect everyone’s first amendment rights, and we must eliminate the Electoral College; the popular vote must elect the president as the authors of the Constitution intended.

Alabama wins the battle of racist states, but that will likely change. The others will simply have to try harder, and I’m sure that they will.

Op-Ed

By James Turnage

Source

Photo Courtesy of Stuart Seeger