sportiani» (ribseruer
Page 6
December 14, 2011
Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the
Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and
story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com.
New Prices
Effective
May 1,2010
S Martin
Cleaning
Service
Carpet & Upholstery
Cleaning
Residential &
Commercial Services
M inimum Service CH G
$45.00
A small distance/travel charge
may be applied
CARPET CLEANING
2 Cleaning Areas or
more $30.00 Each Area
Pre-Spray Traffic Areas
(Includes: I sm all H allway)
1 Cleaning Area (only)
$40.00
Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area
(Hallway Extra)
Stairs (12-16 stairs - With
Other Services)-. $25.00
y
Area/Oriental Rugs:
$25.00 Minimum
Area/Oriental Rugs ( Wool):
$40.00Minimum
Heavily Soiled Area:
A dditional $10.00 each area
Misguided Attacks on Voting Rights
(Requiring Extensive Pte-Spraying)
UPHOLSTERY
CLEANING
Sofa: $69.00
Loveseat: $49.00
Sectional: $ 109 - $ 139
Chair or Recliner:
$25 - $49
Throw Pillows (With
Other Services): $5.00
ADDITIONAL
SERVICES
• A rea & O riental R ug
C leaning
• A uto/B oat/R V C leaning
• D eodorizing & Pet
O d o r T reatm ent
• Spot & Stain
R em oval S ervice
• S co tch g u ard P rotection
• M in o r W ater D am age
S erv ices
SEE CURRENT FLYER
FOR ADDITIONAL
PRICES & SERVICES
Call for Appointment
(503) 281-3949
pression legislation, w ith law s
passing in 14 o f
those states and
bills pending in
eight. T h ese su p
p r e s s iv e la w s
take m any form s,
but in each case
by B enjamin T odd J ealous
th ey d isp ro p o r
O u r voting rights are under
tionately im pact
attack. In legislatures across the people o f color, w orking w om en,
county, m isguided state p o liti b lu e-c o lla r w o rk ers, students,
cians have proposed, and in too seniors, and im m igrants.
m any cases have passed, law s
In som e states like W isconsin
that create o b stacles to voting. and O hio, law m akers are lim it
O v e r the last 12 m onths, 34 ing access to the polls by cutting,
states have introduced voter sup o r even elim in atin g , early and
Self-serving
politicians
threaten
democracy
S u b s c r ib e
503-288-0033
Attn\ Subscriptions, The
$60.00 for 6 months • $110.00 for 1 year Portland Observer, PO Box
$200.00 for 2 years (please include check with form) 3137 Portland OR 97208
N ame : _______________________________
T elephone : __________________________
A ddress : _____________________________
or email subscriptions@portlandobserver.com
S u n d ay v o tin g o p p o rtu n itie s.
T hese significant cuts force p ar
ents, b lu e-co llar w orkers, stu
dents and seniors w h o do not
have the luxury o f a flexible
schedule to stand in p olling lines
fo r as m any as eight hours.
In s ta te s lik e S o u th C a r o
lin a , T e n n e s s e e , W is c o n s in ,
a n d T e x a s , p o litic ia n s h a v e
u se d th e th re a t o f v o tin g fra u d
to m o v e b ills r e q u ir in g v o te rs
to a c q u i r e g o v e r n m e n t - i s
s u e d p h o to id e n tif ic a tio n b e
fo re th e y c a s t a b a llo t. H o w
e v e r , s tu d ie s s h o w th a t a p e r
so n is m o re lik e ly to b e s tru c k
b y lig h tn in g th a n to im p e r
s o n a te s o m e o n e irt th e p o ll
in g b o o th .
W h ile sta te s are re q u ire d to
p ro v id e p h o to id en tific atio n fo r
free, the u n d erly in g in stru m en ts
n e e d e d to o b ta in th e id e n tifi
c a tio n s , lik e a c e rtifie d c o p y o f
a b irth c e rtific a te , c a n in fac t
be v ery e x p e n siv e . In th is w ay ,
th e n ew law s b e c o m e a so rt o f
p o ll tax fo r c e rta in in d iv id u a ls.
O th er creativ e v o ter su p p res
sion m easures are m aking their
w ay into law across the country.
T hey include b ills stripping v o t
ing rights from rehabilitated crim i
nal offenders, elim in atin g sam e-
day vo ter reg istratio n o r voting,
and.targeted p u rging o f A frican
A m ericans and L atinos on reg
istered v o ter rolls.
T h ese attacks on v o ter p a r
tic ip a tio n m im ic th o se u se d
nearly a cen tu ry ago in the lead
up to the Jim C row era. T he
lesson w e learned then surely
applies today, that an attack on
voting rights is m erely a g a te
w ay to fu rth er restrictio n s on
o u r rights, including o u r right to
org an ize, o u r rig h t to clean air,
o u r right to negotiate, and even
o u r right to privacy.
O u r d em o cracy is far too im
portant to allow self-serving poli
ticians to su p p ress the vote. W e
m ust defen d o u r rights. W e m ust
have o u r voices heard. W e m ust
stand fo r freedom .
Benjamin Todd Jealous is
president and chief executive
officer o f the NAACP.