Alabama lawmakers hold voting rights discussion

YEAH, SHERRY GUY ONCE AGAIN, ALABAMA IS AT THE CENTER STAGE OF PROTECTING BLACK VOTES. NOW THE DISCUSSION HERE AT MILES COLLEGE WAS SIMPLY TO EDUCATE THE STUDENTS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT. A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE SUPREME COURT SAID ALABAMA MUST REDRAW ITS VOTING MAP BECAUSE IT VIOLATES PARTS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965. CONGRESSWOMAN TERRI SEWELL IS ELATED ABOUT THE DECISION. IT PROVED THAT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 IS STILL ALIVE, AND SECTION TWO OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT IS ENFORCEABLE. TEN YEARS AGO, ON JUNE 25TH. IT MAY HAVE FELT LIKE THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 DIDN’T FAVOR BLACK VOTERS. THE SHELBY COUNTY, ALABAMA, VERSUS HOLDER DECISION GUTTED PARTS OF THE LAW. YOU USED TO BE ABLE TO VOTE BY SHOWING A FEDERAL ID CALL, A SOCIAL SECURITY CARD. BUT NOW YOU CAN NO LONGER, YOU KNOW, SHOW THOSE PROOFS OF ID. THIS WEEK, SEWELL AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES LIKE MARICA COLEMAN ARE TALKING ABOUT WHY THERE SHOULD BE TWO DISTRICTS WITH A MAJORITY OF BLACK VOTERS FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. REALLY, SOME OF US HAVE BEEN FIGHTING AGAINST STACKING AND PACKING ALL OF THE MINORITIES INTO CERTAIN DISTRICTS. MY LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT WENT FROM 52% AFRICAN AMERICAN TO OVER 60% AFRICAN AMERICAN. FORMER REPUBLICAN STATE SENATOR JIM MCLENDON ONCE CHAIRED THE REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE AND EXPERIENCED A REJECTION FROM SCOTUS BEFORE. SO NOW IT’S THE LEGISLATURE’S JOB TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT THE SUPREME COURT LIKES. HE SAYS THIS TO THE SUPREME COURT’S COMMENT THAT THE MAP DILUTES BLACK VOTERS. THERE IS NO GO FOR THE GUARANTEES ON MINORITIES GOING TO BE ELECTED. PA SOMEONE FROM THE OTHER PART. BUT THE COURT IS LOOKING FOR THESE DISTRICTS TO BE A COMPETITIVE POLITICAL RACE. DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE SCOTUS DECISION CONTINUES TOMORROW MORNING AT THE HISTORIC 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH. LAWMAKERS HAVE UNTIL MID-JULY TO GET A NEW MAP DRAWN OUT AND PUT IT ON GOVERNOR IVEY’S DESK, WHO THEN SEND IT TO THE SUPREME COURT FOR THEIR APPROVAL. WE’RE LIVE