Posted by admin on Jun 5, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
On August 6, 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed one of the most important pieces of legislation in America’s history. For the first time, more than 2.5 million African Americans were able to cast their ballots in elections without fear, intimidation or physical harm. The Voting Rights Act abolished literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses and all other unnecessary requirements that had prevented African Americans from having their voices heard in American politics.
However in 1965, very few Americans could foresee the day when a person, who would have been unable to vote prior to the Voting Rights Act, would receive enough votes to be elected to the world’s highest office in a country where African Americans are still very much in the minority. As a result of Barack Obama’s election as the 44th President of the United States, many have questioned the need for certain provisions of the Voting Rights Act. The Northwest Austin (Texas) Municipal Utility District Number One, a government board dedicated to providing local services to approximately 3,500 people, has recently appealed to the United States Supreme Court to overturn Section 5 of the act, calling it “the most federally invasive law in existence.”
”The elephant in the room is what to make of the Obama election,” said Columbia law professor Nathaniel Persily. “Does the election of the first African American president undermine the central justification for parts of the Voting Rights Act?”
In April, the U.S. Supreme Court will review a lower court ruling that upheld Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires all or parts of 16 states with a history of racism, to receive approval before implementing any changes in election procedures. States affected entirely include Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. States partially affected include California, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Virginia and South Dakota.
However, the local Texas government at the heart of this litigation argues that they have no history of racial discrimination and many believe that America no longer needs such legislation in a “post-racial society.”
But what does Obama’s election actually imply? Has America completely overcome its racist past or is racism still an obstacle to true equality for people of color?
According to defendersonline.org, a whopping 131 million Americans cast their vote for the next commander-in-chief in November 2008, an eight percent increase from the previous election in 2004. Obama received a total of 53 percent of the vote, which was a significant percentage considering the much closer elections in 2000 and 2004.
African Americans constituted 13 percent of voters, up from 11 percent in 2004, while Hispanics made up nine percent of voters, a one percent increase from the previous presidential election. Furthermore, 95 percent of Americans cast their ballot for President-elect Obama and 67 percent of Hispanics voted for the former senator from Illinois. Most impressively, Obama was able to win 43 percent of the White vote, even though Democrat John Kerry was only able to win over 41 percent of the White vote four years earlier.
Nevertheless, White voters were the only demographic that Obama was not able to win majority support. Furthermore, Obama could only muster support from 10 percent of White voters in Alabama. In addition, many Southern White Democrats stated that they would support Republican John McCain because they could not bring themselves to vote for an African American for president.
Consequently, Obama was forced to obtain secret service protection earlier than any other presidential candidate in history because of assassination threats. According to telegraph.co.uk, the secret service has investigated over 500 death threats against the future president.
Prior to accepting the Democratic nomination for president, Tharin Gartrel and Nathan Johnson were arrested in Denver for making assassination threats towards Obama during the Democratic National Convention. According to CBS station KCNC-TV, one suspect said they were “going to shoot Obama from a high vantage point using a rifle … sighted at 750 yards.”
However, in spite of the conflicting evidence of racial advancement, America’s recent election of President-elect Obama has proven that this country has what it takes to unify despite racial differences. The struggles that those from the Civil Rights era endured led to such monumental achievements as the Voting Rights Act and the historic presidential election of 2008. But it remains to be seen if this is proof of a permanent post-racial society or if race will continue play a factor and legislation such as the Voting Rights Act is necessary to ensure equality.
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Posted by admin on May 24, 2010 in Articles | 0 comments
The Kingdom of God and Voting
By Claude Chikozho
Many of the Lord’s saints do not realize how significant their votes are, they also do not take the time to ascertain the righteous relevance their votes could bear. It is important to note, that by casting one’s vote for a political party of your choice, you would also be empowering that party to establish either a blessing, or a curse in the land or nation that you’re a citizen of. For no legal governing party, has ever obtained ruling power of itself, it is always the people voting for them, that empowers them to govern. That’s why it’s absolutely vital for a Christian to be inundated with that party’s beliefs, as their votes would yoke them into agreement with the policies of that particular party. For instance, if they condone the legal killing of babies, homosexual marital rights, or any other humanistic policy, or laws that are in direct conflict against the word of God. By casting your vote for them, you wouldn’t only be consenting to these abominable ideologies; but as mentioned, you would also be in agreement with them. Which in turn could be implemented as the country’s constitutional laws, if they were to rule, as a result of not only your vote, but of many uninformed and undiscerning Christians.
The bible clearly states in the book of Proverbs 28 vs. 4:”They who keep the law of God contend with the wicked.” The Apostle Peter also reminds us in his first epistle in the second chapter, he say’s: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” these biblical references clarify, that we are children of the light and not darkness, therefore it wouldn’t be godly, for us to be unequally yoked together in votes with people, who have absolutely no love nor fear for the God we call Abba Father. Also bear in mind, that He is not a God of democracy; His ideology, is theocracy. In a democratic society, people do what they think or feel to be their right to do, where as in theocracy, the peoples life’s are governed by the mind and word of God.
It also wouldn’t be proper for any born again Christian, to cast his or her vote on bases of nationality or skin color. Just because somebody looks and speaks like you, doesn’t necessarily qualify them as your brother or sister, as they may not be born of the Spirit of God. This really is a question of Kingdoms, the Kingdom of God; or the Kingdoms of this world, that are under the influence, or as in many cases, the rule of the lawless one. Their is also a new deception of the enemy in politics today, it is called, pro choice. By this one, the Devil has already deceived many Christians.Pro choice simply says, it is your choice if you want to kill your baby, we as government will only furnish you a safe, and clean environment to legally commit this murder. As if it was ever the government’s choice, as to who should keep or abort their baby. It was always the mother’s choice; whether legal or illegal, this is just another crafty way of getting more votes, especially from unsuspecting Christians, who are led to believe that this policy actually acquits the government from these horrendous acts. Do not be deceived, for what ever government permits, has been deemed legal by it, regardless of whose choice it is.
In conclusion, the word of God in Proverbs 29 vs. 2, declares that:” when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked rule, the land shall mourn.” By this scripture we learn that when an individual transgresses the word of God, his iniquity will affect only him and his generations after him, but when government approves of these abominations, it affects the whole land, or should I say nation. Leviticus 18 v 24 – 28 is also clear, that by doing or allowing these abominations in the land, the land will not only spew you out, but God will visit the iniquities there of, this saints, can only be His judgment. In the book of Amos the Lord says,” will trouble come to a city, and I the Lord have not sent it?” It is also written” The Kingdom of God, rules over the kingdom of the heathen” This means that the Kingdoms of this world will answer to the God of all creation, for all these abominations. We all have witnessed earth shaking tragedies that have struck many nations in this world, on such a great scale that people questioned, and asked where was God at the time? The answer, as you have just read is in the word of God. Though it is both wonderful and patriotic for any Christian to want to make a difference, by casting his or her vote, but if all hands are defiled, the bible warns, have no part in other men’s sin, In other words, its better not to vote. For this is the Kingdom of God way.
God bless you
Claude Chikozho
Email: claude.chikozho@gmail.com
Cell: 0736875066
I was born in Cape Town, known as the mother city of South Africa. The fourth born from a family of six kids, my dad’s place of birth is Zimbabwe and my mother’s is South Africa. I was ten years old when my family relocated to Zimbabwe. Before our relocation my primary school years in SA were spent at Holy Cross Primary in Woodstock. On arrival in Zimbabwe, I attended school at Houghton Park Primary: which is in Harare, the Capital City of Zimbabwe. My High School years were at Morgan High, and St Josephs in Belvedere, which are also in Harare.
Looking back at my childhood and teen years. I can’t say that I have any regrets growing up in Zimbabwe. Though I have returned to the place of my birth. I still hold the view that Zimbabwe was morally more grounded than South Africa, at the time of my stay there. This I believe was a contributing factor to a moral stability in my upbringing. South Africa is a very beautiful country and im certainly proud to be a citizen thereof. However I think that this country is way too negligent when it comes to upholding the most fundamental moral human development structures, which are necessary corner stones to build a healthy peace loving society.
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