Whether it's voter fraud or voter suppression, the aim is to undermine democracy. But suppression seems the more dangerous since it's goal is to disenfranchise a group of people, mostly Black Americans. We better be ready to see renewed efforts to suppress the vote in states across the country. Or we're going to get clobbered next time around. Local action to protect voting rights is going to be critical. Thanks Claire for reminding us!
Voter suppression is not unique to the southern former confederate states. In the north, voter suppression was enacted by anti-democratic registration requirements. In New York State for example, until 1960 one had to PROVE they had the equivilent of an 8th grade education and had to PROVE they could write and speak fluent standard English. That was to prevent eastern (Jews) and southern Europeans (Italians, Greeks, Syrians) as well as southern Blacks and Caribbean Blacks from voting.
Whether it's voter fraud or voter suppression, the aim is to undermine democracy. But suppression seems the more dangerous since it's goal is to disenfranchise a group of people, mostly Black Americans. We better be ready to see renewed efforts to suppress the vote in states across the country. Or we're going to get clobbered next time around. Local action to protect voting rights is going to be critical. Thanks Claire for reminding us!
Voter suppression is not unique to the southern former confederate states. In the north, voter suppression was enacted by anti-democratic registration requirements. In New York State for example, until 1960 one had to PROVE they had the equivilent of an 8th grade education and had to PROVE they could write and speak fluent standard English. That was to prevent eastern (Jews) and southern Europeans (Italians, Greeks, Syrians) as well as southern Blacks and Caribbean Blacks from voting.