Page 2 The Skanner Portland December 13, 2017
®
Challenging People to Shape
a Better Future Now
Opinion
THE SKANNER EDITORIAL:
Bernie Foster
Founder/Publisher
Alabama Voters Wise in Rejecting Moore
Bobbie Dore Foster
Executive Editor
Allegations of predatory behavior are troubling — and so is his resume
O
Christen McCurdy
News Editor
Patricia Irvin
Graphic Designer
Melanie Sevcenko
Reporter
Monica J. Foster
Seattle Office Coordinator
Susan Fried
Photographer
2017
MERIT
AWARD
WINNER
The Skanner Newspaper, es-
tablished in October 1975, is a
weekly publication, published
every Wednesday by IMM Publi-
cations Inc.
415 N. Killingsworth St.
P.O. Box 5455
Portland, OR 97228
Telephone (503) 285-5555
Fax: (503) 285-2900
info@theskanner.com
www.TheSkanner.com
The Skanner is a member of the
National Newspaper Pub lishers
Association and West Coast Black
Pub lishers Association.
All photos submitted become
the property of The Skanner. We
are not re spon sible for lost or
damaged photos either solicited
or unsolicited.
n Tuesday Alabama vot-
ers chose one man to
represent them in the
US Senate. Their choice
is between Democrat Doug
Jones, a former US Attorney
with a track record of sup-
porting civil rights; and Re-
publican Roy Moore, a former
state judge with a track record
of a very different sort.
Moore’s opponents have
highlighted allegations that
while he was an assistant
DA in his 30s he habitual-
ly harassed young women.
Nine women spoke out and
three say he sexually assault-
ed them, with his youngest
accuser just 14 at the time.
That’s enough reason for
Moore to stand down, but
there are many more reasons
why Moore is unfit to serve in
Congress.
Moore is not just a Republi-
can — he is one of the most ex-
treme hard right voices in the
party. Electing Moore would
have been a vote against
healthcare, against the social
safety net and against civil
rights.
In fact, Moore has said
America was at its greatest
during slavery, telling a rally
in September:
“I think it was great at the
time when families were
united — even though we had
slavery — they cared for one
another.... Our families were
strong, our country had a di-
rection.”
America certainly did have
‘a direction’— the wrong one.
But for Moore Black Ameri-
cans simply don’t count.
In the same speech Moore
Editorial Staff
The Skanner News
refers to Native Americans
and Asian Americans as “reds
and yellows”.
Somebody should tell him
that we are all human beings,
not M & Ms.
Moore put his own extreme
religious views before the
constitution.
He was removed from his
post as Chief Justice of the
Alabama Supreme Court for
refusing to take down a mon-
ument to the Ten Command-
ments that he had put up in
lobby of the Alabama Judicial
Building. He opposes teach-
ing our children about evolu-
tion and claims that “taking a
knee” during the national an-
them is against the law.
During President Obama’s
“
AP PHOTO/BRYNN ANDERSON
Jerry Foster
Advertising Manager
U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore rides a horse to vote, Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2017, in
Gallant, Ala. Alabama voters are deciding between Moore, former chief justice of
the Alabama Supreme Court and Democrat Doug Jones.
riage even though it had been
judged unconstitutional.
After the Sandy Hook mas-
sacre, Moore claimed the
shootings were a punishment
from God. In his twisted world
view, a loving God would send
America certainly did have ‘a di-
rection’— the wrong one. But for
Moore Black Americans simply
don’t count
term he was one of the most
strident “birther” voices, re-
peatedly questioning Barack
Obama’s citizenship and even
suggesting he was a secret
Muslim.
He has also said that Mus-
lims, like Rep Keith Ellison,
should not be allowed to hold
office.
Moore opposes equal rights
for gays and lesbians and was
suspended from the post after
telling judges to continue the
state ban on same sex mar-
a gunman to kill five-year-
olds to tell the rest of us to be
more religious. And by the
way he said the same thing
about 9/11.
It’s illegal to set up a charity
for the benefit of an individ-
ual, but experts say Moore’s
Foundation for Moral Law
raises questions about who
it is benefiting. A Washington
Post investigation found his
Foundation for Moral Law,
which pays salaries to his wife
and children in addition to his
$180,000 a year salary,(plus a
bodyguard, healthcare and
travel expenses) had failed
to fully declare the $1 million
it paid him between 2007-
2012. The foundation, which
also accepted $1,000 from a
neo-Nazi group in 2005, pro-
motes Moore’s books, politi-
cal views and speeches.
Roy Moore is a disgrace
and electing him would have
brought shame on the state of
Alabama.
This election was close, but
was a no-brainer for Demo-
crats. Roy Moore is the worst
of the worst.
For Republicans it didn’t
have to be difficult. Conscien-
tious Republicans had the op-
tion of voting differently, and
some — like Alabama Repub-
lican Senator — did vote their
conscience.
In the end — with more than
a little help from Black voters
and grass-roots organizers —
Jones won the day, and we’re
all better off for it.
©2017 The Skanner. All rights re served. Reproduction in
whole or in part without permission prohibited.
Don’t Delay — Sign Up for Healthcare By Dec. 15
T
Local News
Pacific NW News
World News
Opinions
Jobs, Bids
Entertainment
Community Calendar
LOCAL NEWS
BRIEFS
d ay ! • L i ke u s o
n F
ebo
m
me
•
nts
TheSkannerNews
o k • learn • co
in y o u r c o m m u n
to
y •
ac
it
Updated daily.
he deadline to enroll or
modify healthcare cover-
age under the Affordable
Care Act is December
15. So, time is running out.
Despite what you may have
heard, the Affordable Care Act
is still the law of the land, and
everyone must have health
insurance or pay a penalty.
Go to www.healthcare.gov to
find a plan that works for you.
Don’t delay, enroll today.
Congress enacted the Af-
fordable Care Act (ACA) to
ensure all Americans have
access to affordable quality
healthcare, which ought to be
a basic human right. Since be-
coming law, the ACA has pro-
vided health insurance for
more than 20 million people
who did not have it before its
passage.
When Congress was consid-
ering the Affordable Care Act,
I spoke on the House floor
and called the legislation the
“Civil Rights Act of the 21st
Century.” I gave it that moni-
Rep. James
E. Clyburn
D-S.C.,
Chairman,
Dem. Faith
Working Grp
ker, because the ACA outlaws
discrimination against sick
people and their families.
“
Access to
high-quality
healthcare
should be a
right for all
It outlaws discrimination
against women, closes the
Medicare “donut hole” and
allows adults up to age 26 to
stay on their parents’ policies.
I strongly believe that access
to affordable, high-quality
healthcare should be a right
for all, not a privilege solely
for the wealthy and well-con-
nected.
Despite the current admin-
istration’s ongoing attempts
to undermine the law, sign-
ups for 2018 have outpaced
most expert predictions. To
date, more than 2.5 million
Americans have already
chosen plans. This is a great
showing and proves Ameri-
cans want affordable health
care. Discounts and subsidies
are still in place and may be
better than last year. In fact,
80 percent of healthcare.gov
enrollees will be able to pur-
chase a plan for $75 or less per
month.
As the Chairman of the
Democratic Faith Working
Group in the U.S. House of
Representatives, I have been
working with faith groups
from across the country to
spread the word and articu-
late the good work about the
ACA. This outreach has en-
gaged the faith community in
promoting sign-ups during
this open rnrollment period
through our “Souls 2 Enroll”
outreach effort and other en-
gagement activities. We need
to build on this record of suc-
cess in the remaining days of
Open Enrollment.
Time is running out for you
to enroll in the Affordable
Care Act. If you have ques-
tions or need help, there are
many people willing to assist
you. Go to the website, www.
healthcare.gov or you may be
able to find in-person help in
your area at https://localhelp.
healthcare.gov/#/ to shop
for plans and sign up. You
can also call the marketplace
call center at 1-800-318-2596.
Don’t be left without health
insurance; get covered today.
U.S. House Assistant Demo-
cratic Leader James E. Clyburn
represents South Carolina’s 6th
congressional district. In Con-
gress, he serves as the Chair of
the Democratic Faith Working
Group. Follow him on Twitter
at @Clyburn.
nt •
lo c a l n e w s •
eve