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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 2011)
Street roots 13 1*01 trrnw It’s time to get a ballot in the hand of every citizen Sept. 2, 2011 ■M X BY HENRY KRAEMER action from our state’s newly formed NVRA Council. emocracy is a pretty miraculous In Oregon, we pride ourselves on Vote by thing: every few- years in this Mail. Yet, study after study tells us that this country, we can pick up a pen, fill in mostly helps people who already vote at a few bubbles and dictate our own future. high levels (to overgeneralize, we’re Truly amazing when you consider that for basically talking about older, wealthier white most of human folks). At my organization, the Bus Project, history, all our We bust our butts to get young people, decisions were made people of color and other under-served for us by kings and communities registered to vote where they what-not. When we live. It’s no small task. Started this regular- The average young person moves twice a people-governing- year, which means four times since the last ourselves thing 235 major election. It only stands to reason that years ago, it was Oregon’s unforwardable ballots might not radically bold. One find us. Low-income folks move a lot too and of the boldest ideas face similar problems, to say nothing of the in the history of the world. And as our world challenges of mail for the homeless çhanges, history mandates we stay bold - to community. powerfully affirm hot just the right to vote, This is not to say that Vote by Mail but the actual ability of all our citizens to do doesn’t have benefits. If we do away with so. Oregon’s new National Voter the small (but real) financial barrier of Registration Compliance (NVRA) Council paying postage to vote and use the gives us an opportunity to do just that. technology and information that Oregon Despite the sheer beauty of the ; already has on hand to register all our democratic idea in this country, our citizens, we would have the best little execution has been spotty. There’s often democracy in the country. been a big ol’ gulf between the right and the Enter the NVRA Council. This spring in ability for any American to cast a ballot: Salem, The Bus Project worked with from first only offering the right to white, Secretary of State Kate Brown (a true bad male landowners^ to a century of Jim Crow, ass who really believes in making democracy to the new rash of cynical, hyper-partisan more accessible), Oregon Common Cause, anti-voting laws sweeping the country. the Oregon Student Association and others Sometimes that’s intentional (no doubt laws to integrate voter registration with social in Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio requiring photo services at our state’s public assistance ID to vote are meant to snatch ballots from agencies (plus, big props go to chief the hands of young people and people of sponsors Jefferson Smith and Ben Cannon); color). The bill created the Council to get the job But perhaps more often, it comes from a done, and now it’s on us citizen-advocates to gentle ignorance and the passive make sure it does great things. assumption that, voting is a one-size-fits-all Street Roots reported on the Council a conversation and that no special action is few issues ago, but ifyou missed it/here’s needed to bring democracy to the most the skinny: Federal law requires that if you" under-served amongus. get public assistance from the government, , That’s the story of Oregon’s strugglès. you must also be offered help registering to Luckily, we can solve them through stark vote, and the state has to keep record of if attention and immovable intent and, more you say yes or no (so that people actually specifically, through specific and decisive get asked). Every state is required to do C O N T R IB U T IN G C O L U M N IS T 0 © Henry Kraemer is the Organizing Director o f the Bus Project, which engages a new | generation o f Oregonians to build a better democracy. Find out more at busproject.org THE BUS PROJECT this, but almost nobody does. In Oregon, the DMV already does it well. Wherewe need to get a lot better áre agencies such as Food Stamps, TANF and the Oregon Health Plan. That’s where the real juice is at: to enfranchise under-served populations, find them where they already are. At a time of récord need for public assistance, we have a gleaming opportunity to empower the voices of struggling people in our democracy. -The Council is about to start their . work. They’ll be looking at how each agency is doing and In Oregon, we pride start offering ourselves on Vote by Nall. recommendations. If you want to help (and Yet, study after study tells us please, please, please that this mostly helps people do), Call the Secretary who already vote at high of State’s office at levels (to overgeneralize, 503-986-1523 and tell we're basically talking about them you want the NVRA Council to do older, wealthier white folks). the most it can possibly do to enfranchise low- income people. Secretary Brown is on the side of angels in, this, but she is stronger if she can say that a bunch of citizens are asking for her and the Council to be bold. A few recommendations the Council -ought to make: voter registration should be a fully integrated part of the public assistance application (aka all on the Same form) and the default should be that you get registered unless you opt-out; regular audits should be done of the agencies to see how they’re doing; every month agencies should submit hów many people they’ve registered «and how manyhave declined, and address- updating should be part of each conversation. These small but systemic steps can really help, but only if we actually do them. So pick up that phone already. Street Books, A bicycle-powered mobile library, coming to a street near you! Poverty and Privilege: Two Palaces o f Pain By Mad Man Marlon A sense of freedom on both sides: Yet painful because it never lies:. Eyes that chose only to see images intensifies my tears and cries:. Poverty and Privilege: Two Palaces of Pain Taken to dark places, forced into unwanted places, forsaken from one’s true self: Eyes that commit to convict from knowing and loving myself: Poverty and Privilege: Two Palaces of Pain ; Pockets of pleasure carried ® like a purse full of pain: : An immediate embrace into a society’s arms does little insurance that one will stay warm isolated from a cold midnight purple rain Poverty and Privilege: Two Palaces of Pain You envy my clothes, can youJiear my heart beating aimlessly inside them? My wallet contains only coins,, yet can you see my struggle as its precious gem? Your eyes fuel with desire at my shoes, but would you walk with them when they are torn? Poverty and Privilege: Two Palaces of Pain Poverty, privilege its all the same from the day we are born...... until the day we are ALL mourned! Library Location & Hours: Wednesdays, 10-2 Skidmore Fountain. Saturdays, 10-2, Park Blocks @ SW Salmon. Street Books will use an old-school card Catalogue system, checking out and accepting returned books, twice weekly through the summer. You do not need an address to be able to check out books. The website streetbooks.org will feature photos of patrons who wish to be featured with their book of choice, on-line book reviews submitted ; by patrons, and updates about Street Books news and library hours. At the end of the summer, Street Books will host a reception, inviting patrons to come talk about their favorite books, and share their experiences with the project. To find out more about the project, or to donate paperbacks, contact Laura Moulton: laura@ideacog.net. REG IO NAL G R E E N B U IL D IN G BUILDGREEN411.COM GREENHOTLINE@PORTLANDOREGON.GOV
