Page 6
^lortlanò (Observer
September 17, 2014
New Prices
Effective
May 1,2010
Martin
Cleaning
Service
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Carpet & Upholstery
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Residential &
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Minimum Service CHG
$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: 1 small Hallway)
1 Cleaning Area (only)
$40.00
Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area
(Hallway Extra)
Stairs (12-16 stairs - With
O ther Services): $25.00
Area/Oriental Rugs:
$25.00 Minimum
Area/Oriental Rugs ( Wooly.
$40.00Minimum
Heavily Soiled Area:
Additional $10.00 each area
(Requiring Extensive Pre-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
• Area & Oriental Rug
Cleaning
• Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning
• Deodorizing & Pet
Odor Treatment
• Spot & Stain
Removal Service
• Scotchguard Protection
• Minor Water Damage
Services
SEE CURRENT FLYER
FOR ADDITIONAL
PRICES & SERVICES
Call for Appointment
(503) 281-3949
Power of the Vote Essential to Change
Ferguson is yet
another example
by M arc
H. M orial
Less than a year
from now, on Aug. 6,
2015, the nation will
celebrate the 50th an
niversary of the Vot
ing Rights Act of 1965,
considered by many
to be the most significant American
civil rights legislation ever signed
into law.
During the past half-century we
have seen major increases in the
number of black elected officials
across the country, including Barack
Obam a’s election and re-election as
America’s first black President.
This year, the National Urban
League’s State of Black America
found that with a Civic Participation
Equality Index of 104.7 percent,
African Americans are engaged in
their communities and voting at
higher rates than whites.
But pockets of voter apathy and
political complacency coupled with
both overt and covert voter sup
pression efforts continue to nega
tively impact voter turnout in some
parts o f the country, including holds its elections in the spring of
many of those protections. But the
places like Ferguson, Missouri.
odd-numbered years, and the most right to vote, regardless o f when
The Aug. 9 shooting death of recent comparisons between its 2012
elections are held during the year, is
Michael Brown, an 18-year-old un and 2013 election turnouts tell a
a sacred obligation and our most
armed African American at the revealing story.
powerful instrument o f change.
hands of Darren Wilson, a white
In the 2012 presidential election,
I’ve often heard people express
Ferguson police officer, has led white turnout was 55 percent and
dissatisfaction with the pool of can
many of us to wonder whether black turnout was 54 percent. In the
didates on a ballot and use that as a
things might have been different if 2013 city council elections, white
reason to “sit out” certain election
the city’s leadership was more turnout fell to 17 percent, while black
cycles. However, voting is not like
representative of the racial makeup turnout plunged to 6 percent.
buying popsicles - when, if we don’t
of the population.
While a case can be made that see a flavor we like, we leave the
In a city that is 67 percent black, election timing is one culprit in de store.
the police force is 94 percent white. creased voter turnout - as the far
he ongoing social, racial and eco
The mayor is also white, as are five ther off-cycle elections are held from
nomic justice that we work toward
of the six city council members. In presidential ones, the less media
everyday mandate that we be civi-
2013, Art McCoy, Ferguson’s first coverage, attention and awareness
cally engaged and actively partici
African American school superin are generated around them, espe
pate in electing leaders who will not
tendent, resigned under duress af cially in low-income communities—
only represent us, but who will fight
ter only three years on the job. Fur the reality remains that we must all,
for our interests and rights.
ther, only one African American as a community and as individuals,
Ferguson is yet another example
currently serves on the seven-mem exercise our right to vote in every
that when we say no to voting, we
ber school board.
election. We simply do not have the turn our backs on our communities.
It is generally true that when local option to not vote.
Voter suppression has no place in
elections are held off-cycle - mean
One year ago, the Supreme Court our democracy, and neither does
ing, when no state or national of dealt a crushing blow to voting rights
voter apathy. Ferguson should be
fices are on the ballot - voter turn by removing important protections
the latest wake-up call that we can
out across the board is significantly for voters who had suffered - and
not afford to let anything keep us
lower and white voter participation still suffer-historic disenfranchise
from exercising the extraordinary
is notably higher than black voter ment. The National Urban League
power of our individual vote.
participation.
has been a lead supporter of the
Marc H. Morial is president and
For example, like many munici Voting Rights Amendment Act now
chief executive officer o f the Na
palities across the nation, Ferguson before Congress that would restore
tional Urban League.