Civil Rights Roundup: 07/11/08

Your morning dose of civil rights and related news

An Ohio jury has ruled that a Black community in the Appalachian region was denied water service for decades on account of race.

The pitch is out for a designer for the new African American History museum, scheduled to open in 2015.

The Washington Post calls for the repeal of DADT.

The Post also issues a call for state's to reduce the number of non-violent offenders they're imprisoning.

US diplomat asks for reduced sentence for sex with under-aged girls overseas, argues it's okay "over there".

The Maryland town of Cambridge -- famous as the birthplace of Harriet Tubman and later for a vicious race riot in which the entire Black section of town was burned to the ground -- has elected its first Black and first female mayor.

Politicians from around the country are speaking out against Virginia's ban of voter registration efforts at campuses where veterans are receiving medical care.

I think Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) would have been an awful VP pick, but Sir Charles is right to give him due props for his unflinching attack on the drug war as draconian and racist. Particularly as a freshman senator in a swing state, this is an act of genuine political courage.

The Baltimore Sun reports that their might be fissures between the old-guard civil rights community and Obama. I don't doubt that they have their differences, but differences of opinion are normal in a healthy movement, and I can't imagine it will dilute Obama's Black support at the polls.

The mayor of Jackson, Mississippi has been indicted on federal civil rights charges for his...aggressive...anti-crime tactics.

43 years later, an Alabama state trooper will stand trial for murdering a civil rights protester in Marion.

Black voters remain the most adamantly opposed to gay marriage of any racial group, and unlike their peers, their numbers are staying stubbornly persistent.

Publius of Obsidian Wings says its time to retire "sister souljah moment" from political discourse.

N.C. public employee retires rather than honor Jesse Helms.

FRC on Helms

I guess there was never any real doubt their "tribute" would go something like this:

Perhaps one of the most profound tributes to the life of Senator Jesse Helms comes from an unlikely source, the ultra-left magazine Mother Jones. In a 1995 profile of the staunchly conservative senator, the reporter observed, "Unlike many of his Republican counterparts, Helms has changed little over the past 50 years." Where the Left may see unrelenting dedication to principle as a character flaw, we salute a gentleman who was unwavering in his convictions and devoted to faith, family and freedom. Unlike the many who are changed and influenced by their time of service in this city, Senator Helms was among the few who have changed this city and influenced the world. He stood for strength in our foreign policy and partnered with Ronald Reagan in the effort to bring down communism. He unflinchingly withstood mockery from radical abortion activists in defending the unborn. With his death this July 4th, the conservative movement lost a true leader. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Dot, and their family.

Still, that was rather more explicit than most in praising Helms "principle" of never giving up on White Supremacy (what do you think Mother Jones was talking about?).

Civil Rights Roundup: 07/07/08

Your daily dose of civil rights and related news

An inspiring story in the Boston Globe of a graduate of one of Boston's struggling public schools. The Globe also has the story of a teen mother from the same school who is heading off to college.

Chicago is bracing for challenges to its gun ban in the wake of the Supreme Court's Heller decision.

The Washington Post reports a new surge in law students studying immigration. Anecdotally, when I've asked folks attending law school what they want to study, immigration law has in fact been a surprisingly common response. Most of these folks are liberals -- I wonder if its a counter-mobilization to recent conservative demagoguery on the issue?

A new trend sweeping American states is to try and keep illegal immigrants out of college. Apparently, we're so blinded by rage in this issue that we actively want to make gang life the only salient option for these kids. I, for one, support meritocracy -- it's not like we have a surplus of smart people out there.

Immigration reform isn't being sunk because it offers amnesty. It's being sunk because it's being wrongly characterized as offering amnesty.

Wal-Mart lost another multi-million dollar lawsuit regarding its wages-and-hours practices. As Lindsay Beyerstein points out, though, the settlement amounts to less than $3.25 per violation.

Like Hilzoy, I have refrained from blogging on Sen. Jesse Helms death because it seems unseemly to speak ill of the dead. But also like Hilzoy, I am stunned at the degree to which the right is claiming Helms as an exemplar of their movement, given that he was -- how to put this gently? -- an unabashed force for evil in the world. Yet there they are. Jim Lindgren clearly protests too much. Also, it is amusing that in the wake of this out-pouring of admiration for a open-and-shut racist, Republicans will indeed probably attempt to reach out to Black voters once again -- and then wonder why they fail.

A discrimination lawsuit against the Minneapolis police force is moving forward after a Latino veteran of the force was turned down from a position with an elite anti-gang unit.

Pam's House Blend calls gay bars one of the "worst offenders" with regard to anti-trans discrimination. Yay, solidarity!

Wal-Mart blocks an HIV-prevention and testing awareness event to be held on its site under pressure from "pro-life" groups (Planned Parenthood was running the show). How life-affirming.