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“The entire NAACP family is deeply saddened by the earthquake that occurred in Haiti yesterday afternoon. The thoughts and prayers of the NAACP’s 2200 units go out to the families and those affected by this tragedy,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “The swift actions by the US Government and other countries show the world’s compassion for tragedies like the one that occurred in Haiti. The NAACP commends President Obama for the Administration’s rapid response to this tragedy.”

On Tuesday, shortly after 5:00 PM, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck 10 miles southwest of the Haitian capital of Port Au Prince. Preliminary reports say that well over 3 million people were affected and that it will take days before we know the true damage to the city.

“We are asking all of our members to do what they can to assist the people of Haiti that have lost their homes, business, family members, and livelihoods,” stated President Jealous “The NAACP plans a relief effort, which will be announced this week, to help with bringing food, water, temporary shelter and medical services to the people of Haiti,” Jealous said.

“An earthquake of this magnitude is a tragedy anywhere in the world. An earthquake of this magnitude in Haiti, however, is even more devastating because of the political, economic, and social fragility in the country. Our concern for our sisters and brothers in Haiti will move members of the NAACP with compassionate responses for immediate relief as well as advocacy for longer term support for recovery and viability,” stated Dr. David Emmanuel Goatley, Chairman, International Affairs Committee of the NAACP Board of Directors.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO OFFER HELP AND ASSISTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF HAITI, PLEASE TEXT THE WORD YELE TO 501501 ON YOUR CELL PHONE. THE TEXT WILL DONATE $5 TO THE RELIEF EFFORT. (The charges will be placed on your phone bill)

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The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund is the oldest – and has been described as the finest – human rights law firm in American history. We have been involved in virtually all of the modern efforts to effectuate effective political participation by African Americans.

For most of U.S. history Black Americans were excluded from political participation. I will describe the means by which that exclusion was achieved and the continuing efforts to counteract those measures.

But, first, I will describe the election process in the U.S. There is no national election authority or commission in the U.S. Instead, elections are run by our separate states, and, in those states the elections are run by smaller local entities, usually counties. So, there were thousands of different ballots for last November’s election, all processed in different ways.

Additionally, in the United States individual candidates run for individual offices. There are political parties, but there are no party lists or proportional representation. Instead, there is a geographically defined district. Some are fixed, as are state wide offices or the President. But most are drawn on a map from time to time.

Each of these points – who runs the election, who draws the district — can be affected by discrimination.

The United States is a democracy with a written constitution, but that original Constitution condoned and accommodated racism and slavery, and, even after our civil war ended slavery and resulted in amendments to our constitution that provided for equal justice, those very same local entities – states and their subdivisions, effectively thwarted change.

There were two types of exclusionary measures. Voter registration was the first and was implemented in the South for the purpose of creating a mechanism of exclusion. Here is how it would work: in order to be registered a potential voter would have to demonstrate that he or she was literate. That requirement would be waived by the registration official for white potential voters and used to deny Black potential voters. There were innumerable variations on the ways in which this device was used to exclude Blacks.

And second, the operation of the election itself could be infused with discrimination. Where were the polling places located? Were they moved the evening before the election? Were there enough ballots? Did they open on time? There are endless variations on this as well.

These measures were used effectively and excluded Black and other minorities from participation.

The Legal Defense Fund was founded in part to attack this racist reality. We challenged each of the practices I have described – registration requirements, poll taxes, literacy tests, how elections were operated. Eventually we were joined by the Federal Justice Department in challenging these discriminatory measures. But even when we were successful, the local jurisdiction would simply move to another variation of the same scheme and achieve the same result — via a new literacy test, or moving a polling place in the Black community just before the election. Legal remedies were not effective because a new device could be put in place as soon as an earlier one was invalidated.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is the principal measure in combating this racial discrimination. It is the single most effective piece of civil rights legislation in the U.S. The Voting Rights Act bans discrimination in voting on the basis of race or national origin and gives the federal government wide authority to ensure non-discrimination in voting. In addition, and crucially, Section Five of the Act serves as a checkpoint by requiring jurisdictions within the U.S. that have a history of discrimination in voting to obtain approval from the federal government before enacting any changes to their voting practices or procedures, a process known as “preclearance.” Thus, Section Five acts like a national election commission in some ways. Preclearance has been an extremely effective tool in rooting out and deterring acts of discrimination in voting. Since 1982 it has prevented the enactment of over 600 documented discriminatory changes to voting laws. This critical law, the Voting Rights Act, was challenged in our Supreme Court this year, and we, the Legal Defense Fund, argued in the Supreme Court and succeeded in preventing it being declared unconstitutional.

The Census: Accurately Counting Minorities

Census data are used to determine the number of seats that each state will have in the House of Representatives, and the number of votes that each state has in the Electoral College, which is how the President of the United States is selected. Census data are also used in the drawing of election districts, and in making sure that election districts are roughly equal in size. The enforcement of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which I described previously, also depends heavily on accurate Census data.

Redistricting

After the Census results are finalized, the various States throughout the country engage in the process of redistricting, or redrawing electoral districts for political offices, from school boards to city councils, state legislatures to the U.S. Congress. How and where those lines are drawn often determines whether or not members of minority groups will have the ability to participate meaningfully in the political process and elect candidates of their choice. Historically, however, the redistricting process has frequently excluded members of minority groups. Until the 1990’s, the redistricting process remained largely under the control of voting blocs and power structures that did not consider – or even purposefully undermined – the interests of racial and ethnic minorities. During redistricting, racial minorities were often spread out amongst many districts so as to dilute their voting strength, or, in other cases, packed as a supermajority into a single district so as to limit their ability to participate in and win elections in other districts.

However, thanks to vigorous enforcement of the Voting Rights Act in the redistricting process, the number of minority representatives in the U.S. Congress has increased from 40 in 1990 to 70 today. In other words, it is no exaggeration to say that the redistricting process may be the single most important factor in determining whether racial and ethnic minorities have a meaningful opportunity to participate in the political process and elect their candidates of choice.

In sum, the right to vote is at the core of our representative democracy. It is not only a human and civil right in itself; it is the bedrock on which all other rights rest. The ability of members of racial and ethnic minority groups to meaningfully participate in the political process is a crucial measure of our nation’s commitment to democracy and equality under the law.

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In July of 2009, delegates to the NAACP National Convention approved a resolution to condemn the practice of sentencing Juveniles to Life without Parole sentences. The Resolution also called upon branches to work within their respective states to bring an end to this practice. While Kansas is one the the 7 states in the county that prohibits the sentencing of Juveniles to Life sentences without the possibility of parole, the Wichita Branch and the Kansas State Conference of the NAACP would like to add our voice to the those calling for an end to this practice. Currently, the United States and Somalia are the only two nations in the world that have not ratified Article 37 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which bans participants from sentencing children to life in prison.

Click here to sign a petition to support Sara Kruzan

Click here to read the Human Rights Watch report on Juvenile Life Sentences

Click here for the Public Interest Law Center’s report on Florida’s disproportionality in Juvenile Life sentencing

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With unemployment among blacks at more than 15 percent, and in light of new unemployment data released for October 2009, the NAACP joined with several other groups this week to call on President Obama to do more to create jobs.

The organizations, including the Leadership Council on Civil Rights, the AFL-CIO, the Center for Community Change, the National Council of La Raza, and the Economic Policy Institute, stated that they believe the president’s $787 billion stimulus program has not gone far enough to fight unemployment. In response to the crisis, the groups held a panel discussion this week to raise awareness and suggest potential solutions for policymakers. They also issued a joint statement advocating for strong congressional action to address the crisis, starting with extending unemployment benefits, food stamps, and COBRA to meet the needs of the significant number of unemployed people facing a long road to recovery.

“It’s time for us to really stoke this issue up,” said Hilary O. Shelton; NAACP Senior VP for Advocacy and Policy. “We’re not so much trying to convince him to do something he doesn’t want to do, but urging him to move forward on an issue we have agreement on.”

Currently, nearly 16 million Americans are unable to find employment and another nine million are only able to find part-time employment, according to the EPI. And finding jobs is increasingly difficult – there are over six job seekers for each available job opening. The situation is even more difficult for workers of color. The unemployment rate for blacks has jumped to 15.7 percent, from 8.9 percent when the recession started 23 months ago. That compares with 13.1 percent for Hispanics and 9.5 percent for whites. The black unemployment rate has climbed above 20 percent in several states, reaching 23.9 percent in Michigan and 20.4 percent in South Carolina.

“Make no mistake – this is the civil rights issue of the moment,” said LCCR President and CEO Wade Henderson. “Unless we resolve our national job crisis, all of our other priorities – from reforming health care and fixing our broken immigration system, to stemming home foreclosures and expanding economic opportunity for all Americans – are in real jeopardy.”

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Tomorrow, Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on health care reform. The future of health care for you, me, and every American hinges on this historic vote. So now is the time to make your voice heard.

Please send an e-mail to your representative today and ask him or her to support a health care reform bill with a strong public option.

Unless we pass a strong bill, the color of your skin, your ethnic background, and where you live will continue to influence your access to health care, as well as the quality and cost of your care.

Leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus came by the War Room today to urge us to help them pass real health care reform with a strong public option. With your help NOW, we can end discrimination in health care coverage and ensure access for every American.

Click here to send an e-mail to your representative in Congress and tell him or her to support health care legislation with a strong public option requiring all individuals to have insurance.

So, this is it. Let us ensure that Congress stops a system that delays, denies and defends the lack of care.

Click here to listen to a personal message from Congressional Black Caucus Chair Barbara Lee. Then, send a letter to your member of Congress now to urge him or her to support real health care reform with a strong public option when the vote takes place tomorrow.

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Think Congress has heard enough about health care reform? Probably not, considering dozens of representatives and senators are still sitting on the fence.

They need to hear from you today!

Join the NAACP’s “Can You Hear Us Now” Congressional call-in days. Our goal is to make 88,000 calls to Congress by Thursday, October 29.

Do not leave the future of your health care to chance — call your representatives today to make sure they are working to champion quality, affordable health care for all Americans.

It is easy to call. Just call the number below and you will be connected to your representative’s office. We have provided a sample call script for you to follow, and once you are done, let us know what happened on the 880 site.

HOW TO CALL:
Call 1-800-577-1635 to be connected to your Members of Congress.

SCRIPT:
Hello, my name is ________. I live in [city or town] and I am a voter in your district. I am calling you today in conjunction with the NAACP to urge you to enact real health care reform that includes a public option.

We believe that a public option is the only way to keep insurance companies honest, ensure competition and provide quality, affordable health care for all Americans. Thank you.

Please, join the NAACP and call your representatives this week during our “Can You Hear Us Now” Congressional call-in days.

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Why “880″? Because according to the American Journal of Public Health, the deaths of 880,000 black people would have been prevented if the mortality rate of blacks had been the same as that of whites over a 10-year period.

The health care crisis has hit our communities especially hard:

• Children born to black women are more than twice as likely to die within their first year of life than children born to white women
• People of color are more likely to suffer and die from diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases
• Uninsured Americans are more likely to use the Emergency Room for preventative care and routine checkups, forcing longer wait times and costing states and taxpayers more

But this struggle goes beyond statistics. This is about you – everyday American families and children.

With your help, in the coming weeks, we will organize to ensure that our elected representatives support real health care reform with real results that will ensure every American has access to quality, affordable health care coverage… and help solve the health problems that plague our parents, children, friends, and communities.

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Police shot and killed Mark Anthony Barmore, a 23-year-old black man, in a church day care center a few weeks ago in Rockford, Illinois. We have also learned that one officer involved in this killing has been accused of several other questionable police shootings. As you can imagine, tension is running high in the Rockford community and we are deeply concerned.

I thought you should know what the NAACP is doing about it.

Today I will be leading a delegation of NAACP leaders and staff to launch the NAACP’s investigation of this police killing and the police department itself.

In Rockford today, we will address a rally of community leaders and report on NAACP’s engagement with the Department of Justice to thoroughly investigate this awful tragedy.

We are also working with Congress to require the establishment of national standards for use of force, and training in use of force, for law enforcement officers. Currently, there are as many use-of-force policies as there are law enforcement agencies in our Nation today, and there are as many interpretations of those policies as there are law enforcement officers. This lack of uniformity is one of the core reasons behind the tragedy in Rockford and in too many other instances across the Nation.

We thank the Department of Justice for taking this case seriously through the outreach efforts its Community Relations Service. But to help re-establish trust in the community and to ensure that the Rockford police department is operating with integrity, we need a federal investigation into this case. Please, sign our petition urging the Department of Justice to conduct a full investigation of this shooting and the ongoing use of force by the Rockford police department.

So what actually happened in Rockford? Eyewitnesses say that outside a church day care center, Mr. Barmore encountered two police officers who apparently were looking for him on an allegation of domestic violence. He ran inside the church, and the officers followed him, guns drawn, without a warrant. After Mr. Barmore entered a small boiler room, the police demanded he come out. He slowly exited the room with his hands up. Then, witnesses say, police shot him — in front of small children in the day care center.

While he lay face down, witnesses say, police shot him three more times in the back! Additionally, officers have been using intimidation tactics against witnesses, such as sitting outside their homes and slowly driving by their homes.

We all must act to stop this kind of police abuse, so I need your help now.

Please, sign the petition and help us promote smart and safe law enforcement policies. I will be keeping you updated on the killing in Rockford and our efforts to investigate it – and prevent future tragedies.

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The new agency would address the flaws in the current regulatory system overseeing and helping to enforce consumer protection laws

THE ISSUE:
President Obama has proposed establishing a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA), which would be charged with overseeing consumer protection in the home mortgages and financial services areas. Specifically, the President is proposing that we take all of the agencies that are currently meant to monitor and protect consumers’ interests when it comes to financial products and put them under one agency, thereby consolidating authority in one place with a new emphasis on protecting mortgage loans and financial services for consumers.

Our current system of consumer protection fails to protect American families from the most basic abuses that can cost households hundreds of thousands of dollars, and even their homes. Current laws and enforcement allow a range of institutions to escape supervision because responsibility for consumer protection is fragmented across too many regulators and many finance companies are not regulated at all at the Federal level. Regulators have spent recent years asking “What’s the effect on the financial firm?” without asking “What’s the effect on consumers?” As a result, among other problems, regulators permitted inappropriate mortgages and abusive credit card practices. Sadly, many of the worst abusers targeted low-income families and racial and ethnic minorities.

In the recent crisis, many of the people who were targeted by unscrupulous lenders lost their savings, their financial security, and in too many cases their homes. Furthermore, millions of American families saw their retirement savings or even their children’s college funds fall dramatically. Unregulated markets and over-reliance on the flawed judgments of credit rating agencies increased the instability of the financial system, which in turn exposed individual investors to tremendous risk. As proposed, the CFPA would focus on the core reforms that will address the causes of the current crisis, make the system more stable and resilient and give the government tools to better anticipate, avoid and address a potential future crisis.

The NAACP strongly supports this much needed consumer protection proposal and would in fact strengthen it by making civil rights an important component of the new agency’s stated mission and create a Civil Rights/Fair Lending Compliance and Enforcement Office. This office should serve a dual function – first to insure that the CFPA itself operates in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing and second to insure that financial market players comply with fair lending statutes. The CFPA must have the appropriate power and resources to vigorously enforce the fair lending laws under its auspices – Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Community Reinvestment Act, and other appropriate fair lending statutes. It must have sufficient authority and resources to conduct fair lending examinations, engage in compliance activities, and write rules. This office must be headed by a senior level administrator who reports directly to the Director of the CFPA.

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THE ISSUE:
A “vulture fund” is a private company that buys up the debt of poor countries at a big discount from the original owner with the purpose of suing the indebted country in court once it has some money (often after debt cancellation). This practice comes at the expense of the citizens of these indebted countries — some of the most impoverished people in the world — as well as taxpayers in countries like the United States, who bear part of the cost.

There are a number of countries that continue to face crippling debt in Africa and throughout the world. For example, in Sub-Saharan Africa, the approximate number of people living on less than a dollar a day has actually increased since 1990. If current trends are not reversed, Africa will be the only region in the world where there will be more poor people in 2015 than there were in 1990. Debt cancellation gives impoverished countries a chance to start fresh and spend more money on health, education, and other essential social services. But while countries and international organizations have been giving some countries debt relief, “vulture funds”, which make huge profits at the expense of the citizens of these indebted countries often undermine any benefits that debt relief may have brought.

The actions of several unethical vulture funds are threatening to undo some of the hard-won gains of the international campaign for impoverished country debt cancellation. In 2007 one such vulture fund won $15 million from Zambia, money that was freed up by debt relief and should have been used for the fight against HIV/AIDS and poverty. Zambia was not alone: a 2007 report on vulture funds by the International Monetary Fund showed that 11 out of 24 heavily indebted poor countries (HPIC) were involved in litigation worth a total of about $1 billion on original claims of $427 million. Now Liberia, a country emerging from decades of devastating civil war, faces the possible threat of vulture lawsuits as it tries to clear up its illegitimate debt with the international community. HIPCs are particularly vulnerable to vulture funds which purchase the defaulted debts of HIPC countries at much reduced prices and litigate against the debtor for inflated sums, often in U.S. or English courts, making huge profits on the backs of the world’s poorest citizens.

The United States must work to help the world’s poorest countries eliminate debilitating debt which undermines their ability to provide basic human needs such food, housing, education, health care and infrastructure development for their people. To assist in this struggle, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA) and others have introduced H.R. 2932, the “Stop Very Unscrupulous Loan Transfers from Underprivileged Countries to Rich, Exploitive Funds Act” or the “Stop VULTURE Funds Act”. This legislation would prohibit any U.S. person from engaging in debt profiteering at the expense of another nation and would prohibit any U.S. Court from issuing a judgment which would further sovereign debt profiteering.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS IMPORTANT MATTER!!!
If you have any questions, call Hilary Shelton at the Washington Bureau at (202) 463-2940.

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