Another test for voting rights: the use of redistricting to boost black congressional representation again faces scrutiny in the courts.Imagine Congress without black members. It's a possibility if legal challenges prevail against majority-minority congressional districts (CDs) created as a result of the Voting Rights Act Voting Rights Act Act passed by the U.S. Congress in 1965 to ensure the voting rights of African Americans. Though the Constitution's 15th Amendment (passed 1870) had guaranteed the right to vote regardless of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude,” of 1965. That's the big picture. A snapshot features Rep. Cleo Fields (D-La.). Recently, the U.S. 5th District Court in Hays v. Louisiana used Shaw v. Reno--the Supreme Court's 1993 majority opinion that Congressional Black Caucus Congressional Black Caucus, organization of African-American members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Founded in 1970, it addresses legislative concerns of African Americans and other minority citizens, such as employment, welfare reform, minority business (CBC (1) (Cell Broadcast Center) See cell broadcast. (2) (Cipher Block Chaining) In cryptography, a mode of operation that combines the ciphertext of one block with the plaintext of the next block. ) member Rep. Melvin Watt's (D-N.C.) oddly shaped district had an "uncomfortable resemblance to political apartheid" and might violate white voters' rights--to buttress its decision that Fields' CD was unconstitutional. The ruling declared that even if there was a compelling state interest (which they did not rule on) in creating a majority/minority district, Fields' district was not "narrowly tailored." Hays' argument was supported by the City of Richmond v. Croson and Regents of the U. of California v. Bakke rulings against economic and minority admission setasides, respectively. The Croson and Bakke rulings resulted in affirmative action programs being scrapped in municipalities and universities nationwide. Fields says the recent Hays v. Louisiana ruling is wrong. He also believes the Louisiana legislature--which created his district--will not want to redraw To redisplay an image on screen whether text or graphics. The concept is that the first time elements are displayed, they are "drawn," and if something is changed, they are "redrawn." Applications often have a Refresh command that redraws the screen. a second majority/minority CD if his case loses when presented to the Supreme Court. But Ron Walters, chairman of Howard University's political science department, says Fields may be mistaken. White state legislators could invoke Shaw, not lift a finger for Fields, and create one new district to save a white incumbent. As justification, Walters says, they will claim majority white districts were not created for racial gerrymandering gerrymandering Drawing of electoral district lines in a way that gives advantage to a particular political party. The practice is named after Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry, who submitted to the state senate a redistricting plan that would have concentrated the voting and are thus not covered by the ruling (and should not be changed). The root of these threats flows from Shaw v. Reno Shaw v. Reno, 509 U.S. 630 (1993), was a United States Supreme Court case argued on April 20, 1993. The ruling was significant in the area of redistricting and racial gerrymandering. , which was sent back to a lower court for resolution last year--a decision was not available at press time. Such legal challenges could threaten congressional members throughout the country. Only three blacks--Sen. Carol Moseley Braun Carol Elizabeth Moseley Braun (born August 16, 1947) is an American politician and lawyer who represented Illinois in the United States Senate from 1993 to 1999. She was the first, and to date, the only, African American woman elected to the United States Senate. (D-Ill.), Rep. Ronald V. Dellums (D-Calif.) and Rep. Gary Franks (R-Conn.)--have been elected by mostly white constituents. A fourth, Alan Wheat (D-Mo.), is leaving office to run for the Senate. The other 36 CBC members hail from CDs with large black voting blocs among their constituents. Last February, the CBC, the Rainbow Coalition and several civil rights groups called a joint press conference. The CBC will file friend of the court briefs to every CD challenge and build national support for the legislators. For information about the Coalition to Protect Minority Districts, contact the National Rainbow Coalition The National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) is the ruling Kenyan political party, in power since 2002. In preparation of the 2002 elections, the National Alliance Party of Kenya (NAK) allied itself with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to form the National Rainbow Coalition at 202-728-1180. |
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