O cto b e r 20. 2 0 0 4
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Clean election probably not in the cards
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R alph C. N eas
With widespread predictions
of a close national election, an
unprecedented wave of new
voter registration and new vot
ing systems in place, the poten
tial for problems is high. These
can come from poorly trained
poll workers, confused voters
and improper actions by some
state and local election officials.
On top of all that, unscrupulous
political operatives are looking
for any advantage that will help
In fact, the scope of efforts to
limit voting in minority commu
nities during the past two de
cades is startling.
“Ballot security” or “voter
integrity” initiatives targeting mi
nority communities are just one
often-used method of intimidat
ing voters. At least three times,
these initiatives have been suc
cessfully challenged in federal
courts as illegal attempts to sup
press voter participation.
Other methods include dis
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w o A ie z ,
Robbing citizens of their
votes undermines the very
foundations of our
democratic society.
them win, including voter sup
pression and intimidationefforts.
This is nothing new. In virtu
ally every election, voters - par
ticularly African Americans and
other minorities - have faced
calculated and determined ef
forts to keep them out. While
poll taxes, literacy tests and the
physical violence of the Jim
Crow era have disappeared,
more subtle, cynical and cre
ative tactics have taken their
place.
tributing flyers and other infor
mation containing false infor
mation about where, when and
how to vote. There have even
been recent incidents o f opera
tives challenging individual vot
ers at the polls by using armed
private guards, off-duty law en
forcement officers and fake poll
monitors.
Robbing citizens of their votes
undermines the very founda
tions of our democratic society.
Politicians, political strategists
No BR4ZEHLY
STOLEN
U K E lN zooo,..
and party officials who may
consider voter intimidation and
suppression efforts as part of
their tactical arsenal should be
exposed and prosecuted. State
and federal officials, including
Justice Department and national
political party officials of both
parties, should publicly repudi
ate such tactics and make clear
that those who engage in them
will be face severe punishment.
In a nation where children
are taught in grade school that
every citizen has the right to
vote, it would be comforting to
think that the last vestiges of
voter intimidation, oppression
and suppression have been
swept away. It would be good
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to know that voters are no longer
wrongly turned away from the
polls, never knowingly misdi
rected, misinformed, deceived
or threatened.
Unfortunately, it would be a
grave mistake to believe it.
To report incidents o f voter
suppression or intimidation, or
to get help with other kinds of
problems on I lection Day, call
I -866-OUR-VOTE for assis
tance.
P ilpli G. Neas is president
o f People For the American
IViiv Foundation, an advo
cacy organization dedicated
to civil rights, civil liberties
and First Amendment prin
ciples.
SMB
Bush Won’t or Can’t Tell the Truth
by
J udge G reg M athis
A fter the last presidential
debate, I am left wondering
why it is so hard for our
n atio n 's com m ander-in-chief
to tell the truth. From do
m estic issues to war to fiscal
policy, George W. Bush ei
ther ignores the truth, d o esn 't
understand the truth or c a n 't
speak the truth. W hatever the
reaso n , none o f these u n
truths sit well with me - and
they should not sit well with
anyone else either.
By now, everyone should
know that not only were there no
weapons of mass destruction
found in Iraq, Saddam Hussein
did not even possess the ability to
create such weapons. These
weapons served as a major rea
son to go to war and it was a false
reason. A dditionally, Bush
claimed that Iraq had connec
tions with Al-Qaeda that had to
be severed and could only be
countered by war. We know that
this is untrue. Not only did Iraq
not have connections with Al-
Qaeda, evidence suggests that
Saddam had successfully kept
Al-Qaeda out of Iraq. Bush lied.
During the debates. Bush
claimed that over two million
new jobs have been added to
the work force under his presi
dency. The truth of the matter
is that jobs have been lost under
his presidency. Bush lied.
Bush claimed that health care
costs were high because of
49 percent. Putting aside,
for now', that the actual per
centage is closer to 43 per
cent, the m otivation for the
increase has been largely C on
g ressio n al, with opposition
from the White House. In
plain English - C ongress, not
the President, has been re
sponsible for the anemic fund
ing education has received un
der B ush’s presidency. His
medical malpractice lawsuits
and higher insurance costs.
This is not true. The Congres
sional Budget Office, a federal
institution, reported that mal
practice insurance accounts for
only 2 percent of health care
spending.
Bush neglected to tell truth
about his record on educa
tion. He claim ed to have in
creased education funding by
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b u d g e ts h av e p ro p o s e d
cuts in education spending.
Bush lied.
America deserves a presi
dent who does not feel the need
to lie about everything his ad
ministration does.
Judge Greg Mathis is chair
man o f the Rainbow PUSH-Ex
cel Hoard and a national board
member of the Southern Chris
tian Leadership Conference.
**Classes are free for qualified participants!
AAHC African American Health Coalitio* . Inc.
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Presents for your health,
Wellness Within REACH Activity Calendar
Aerobics
Mallory Ave. Christian Church
Mon, Wed, fri, 6-7am, Pierce • 5:3O-6:2Opm,
Granville • 6:30-7:30pm, Nickerson
P ila te s (C o n ta c t A A H C )
M att Dishman
Tue, 8-9pm
Low Impact Aerobics
Daniel’s M em orial Church
Tue, 7:15-8:15pm, Granville
(Clan courtesy o f Matt Dishman)
Stretchine/Body Sculpting
The Christ we know values
covenant relationships.
Jesus' unconditional love can be found in all sincere, committed covenant
relationships, including marriage between two persons of the same gender.
W a te r Aerobics ( C o n t a c t A A H C )
Columbia Pool, M att Dishman
African Exercise
M att Dishman
Sat, 10-1 lam, Addo
Body Conditioning
W ild Oats M arket
Sat, 9:3O-IO:3Oam, Nickerson
We invite our Christian brothers and sisters to think carefully and prayerfully
before voting to take away from other Christian believers and potential believers,
the right to marry, just because they are gay.
Please vote NO on
Constitutional Am endm ent 36.
This message is paid for by the members and sojourners o f Metanola PexeCommunity United Methodist Church in Portland.
For more information about us, call (5 0 3 ) 2 8 1 -3 6 9 7 or visit website: www.tearsoup.com/metanoia.
Tai Chi ( C o n t a c t A A H C )
St.John’s Com unity C enter
Tue, 6:30-7:30pm
W alking Group
Peninsula Park
Sat, 12:30pm, Woods
Lloyd Ctr, 1st FI. in front of Sears
Tue, Thu, 6:30pm, Woods
Classes W ill Resume Soon
W eight Mgnt./Conditioning
W h itak er Track
Tue, Thu, 9-1 Oam, Hasan
Kickboxing
Mallory Ave. Christian Church
Tue, Thuj 6-7pm, Keller
Yoga
W ild Oats M arket
Tue, Thu, 7:30-8:30pm, Wren
Columbia Pool. 7701 N Chautauqua
Daniel’s Memorial Church. 1234 NE Killmgsworth
Mallory Ave Christian Church (Gym), 126 NE Alberta
Matt Dishman 77 NE Knott
Peninsula Park. 700 N Portland
St John's Community Center. 8427 N. Central
Whitaker Track. NE 42nd & Killmgsworth
Wild Oats Market. 3S3S NE ISth
Chicago Step
The witness o f the Holy Spirit in our church life, has opened our eyes to the
truth that "God shows no partiality," (Acts 10:34) and that homosexual persons,
no less than heterosexual persons, can and do enter into stable, long term
marriages that replicate the covenant love uniting Christ and his Church.
M att Dishman
Tue, Thu, 7-8am, Lois
**Please contact AAHC before attending the first class and for more information at 503-413-1850 or
kdempsey@aahc-portland.org. Please receive approval from your dcctor before beginning exercise class.
Must be 18 or older
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R acial and E th n ic A p p ro a c h « « to C o m m u n ity H e a lth
A Program of the African American Health Coalition Inc
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Sponsored by the Centers lor Disease Control and Prevention (C D C )
Contact AAHC at 503-413-1150 or visit our web site at w w w jah c-pordand.org
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