This was starkly stunning. And frankly a breath of fresh air to hear being voiced rationally on the Sunday Morning "What you should think about this Week" Menu.
I hope frank talk like this continues ...
Is the Voting Rights Act still necessary?
Meet the Press -- March 03, 2013
Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, columnist for the Washington Post Kathleen Parker, Managing Editor of TheGrio.com Joy Reid, NBC Political Director Chuck Todd and NBC Special Correspondent Tom Brokaw discuss whether Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is still relevant.
link to video
Joy-Ann Reid:
Well first of all it was a very antebellum phrase. So it was jarring just to hear. He has said it before. This was not the first time that Antonin Scalia has used the term 'Racial Entitlements.' And I think one of the ironies is -- is in it -- is his apparent objection to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, is that it interrupts the 'sense of Entitlement' that political officials -- to interrupt the Demographic Tide, and to shape the Elections to sort of thwart it, right?
Because what is what's happening here -- the reason Section 5 is still relevant -- is that you do have politicians that are attempting to alter the process. Whether it's cutting down Early Voting Days; whether it's instituting Voter ID.
There was one instance that was argued during the court case, about a municipality that literally stopped having Elections, because the Demographic Tide was turning against the white minority, the emerging minority. And so they just stopped having Elections to avert Demographic Tide.
So this is the sense that people feel 'entitled' to change the political process to stop mainly minorities, from gaining political power. So it's sort of an ironic use of phrase -- not to mention a very -- let's just say, 'throw-back phrase' for him to use.
That's how you "turn the tide" on Right-wing Entitlement rhetoric!
Thank you Joy-Ann Reid, for making the case for what's actually happening out there.
We need MORE Voter Right protections -- NOT less ... less opportunities and pathways to be able to vote, in every corner of America.
Tom Brokaw also had some particularly insightful things to say on the Voting Rights topic too (like making Voting Day a week-end event, to improve participation of working citizens, etc.)
I encourage you to listen to it, toward the end of clip -- since I have a lot of chores today, and am out of time to do the transcription. (And since NBC MTP staff found it important enough to transcribe every word of Speaker Boehner today -- but this segment, not so much.)
Cheers! The struggle for equality for all, continues ...