Category Archives: Golden Rule

We believe in the dignity of all people.Those are words I heard at the Unitarian Universalist church we attended most of my childhood.While growing up, I thought those words were almost universally shared. I always knew there were people taking actions that didnt align with showing others dignity, but I believed they were outliers.Im not sure I believe that anymore.Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines dignity as the quality or state of being worthy, honored or esteemed.Ill admit, I had to look that up. I always just used it as a synonym for respect.Im not perfect at showing everybody dignity and nobody is all the time, but the point is to try.Karen Armstrong, a British author who focuses on religion and a former Roman Catholic sister, discusses the golden rule as something apparent in every major faith around the world.Every single one of them has evolved their own version of whats been called the golden rule, she said in a 2009 TEDtalk. Sometimes it comes in a positive version always treat all others as you would like to be treated yourself and equally important the negative version dont do to others as you what you would not like them to do to you.Armstrong said that by living by this rule all day and every day people become less focused on themselves and more compassionate.Despite it being so present in religions, people often dont want to be compassionate and instead argue, she said.People often want to be right instead and that defeats the purpose of the exercise, she said. If we dont manage to implement the golden rule globally I doubt that well have a viable world to hand on to the next generation.Now I thew out a religion that I recognize many people dont know about, so let me explain it since thats the background Im coming from.Unitarian Universalism is a non-denominational faith based on principles rather than a specific text. The core of the faith leans on seven principles:The inherent worth and dignity of every person;Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;Acceptance of one another and encouragement of spiritual growth;A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process;The goal of a world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.While, again, nobody will be perfect at following any faith 100% of the time, I wish something like these were more universally taught or that the golden rule would guide more actions than it does.These principals are the idea that we should have civil conversations about issues and conversations that go both ways; that we listen with our ears and not our mouths; that we strive to not cause harm.Things are divisive, right now, more than they have been in a while, and thats not going to change anytime soon. But, maybe, if we learn to treat people with more dignity and that did become the norm, the divides can still be mended.

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Blog: Treat others with dignity in life (7/11/20) - darnews.com

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Three-layer face coverings will be mandatory on public transport in Wales from 27 July, the first minister has said.

At the daily Welsh Government coronavirus briefing, Mark Drakeford said this would also be the case for taxis and other situations where 2m social distancing was not possible.

Last week, Health Minister Vaughan Gething recommended their use.

But he stopped short of making them mandatory.

Transport for Wales said it had worked with the Welsh Government throughout the pandemic and Great Western Railway said it encouraged all customers to follow the new rule.

The Welsh Conservatives questioned why the measure was not being introduced immediately and Plaid Cymru called for masks to be made mandatory for all indoor spaces.

The union Unite said it warmly welcomed the decision.

Mr Drakeford said: "For the sake of simplicity and consistency, as well as being part of our plan tohelp reduce the risk of transmission while on public transport where it is not always possible to maintain a two metre physical distance, it will become mandatory for people to wear a three-layer face covering while travelling - this includes taxis."

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Face coverings are currently required on public transport in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Having a different rule for wearing masks on public transport in Wales and England was "not sustainable in the long term", Mr Drakeford said.

"Our decision to make face coverings mandatory on public transport is a combination of the fact that we know as the economy gets back into operation more people will need to use public transport to go to work and for other purposes, and when more people need to use confined spaces then additional protections need to be introduced in order to overcome the fact that two-metre social distancing will not always be possible," he added.

Taxi driver Stephen Clifford, from Newport, does not believe it will work for customers

He said: "Most of people the customers wouldn't wear them.

"We'd lose an awful lot of money. If you've got to have it, you have got to have it. And what if we had to provide them? It's hard to say."

Asked why coverings were not mandatory in other public spaces, Mr Drakwford said: "The advice of the Welsh Government is that if places are crowded then face coverings are advisory. Where places are not crowded it is a matter for the individual citizen to make that decision."

Coronavirus is now "at its lowest ebb" since the pandemic began, he added, saying the Welsh Government's response had to be "proportionate".

While Mr Drakeford said masks would not be mandatory for shoppers, businesses may ask people to wear them.

He said the retail sector had made "huge efforts" to introduce measures to maintain physical distancing, including putting up one-way systems, limiting the number people who can enter a shop and putting up screens at checkouts.

But, he added: "At this point in time, when the prevalence of coronavirus is low, we are not mandating the use of face coverings in other public places, but many people may choose to wear them - and there is nothing to stop that happening in Wales.

"Our advice may change if cases of coronavirus begin to increase."

The first minister said the Welsh Government had made changes to regulations which recognise there are some occasions when it is not always possible to maintain a distance of 2m.

"These include maintaining hygiene standards and limiting close face-to-face interaction, wherever reasonable," he added.

Mr Drakeford also said 300,000 coronavirus tests have been carried out in Wales, with 17,000 of them positive.

He urged people to carry on following the "golden rules" such as washing hands frequently.

He said there had been a "real change in working patterns, with more people working from home", adding: "We need to see flexible working become a permanent feature of working life in Wales and the Welsh government will lead the way in this."

Reacting to the announcement, Conservative Covid recovery spokesman Darren Millar said: "We must still take every precaution to avoid a second wave of cases, and making wearing face masks mandatory from today may go some way to achieving this - but only if brought in now."

The British Medical Association (BMA) also called for the new rules to be "implemented without delay". It said face coverings should be used whenever people could not keep a safe distance.

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price welcomed the move but said: "In acknowledging that face coverings make a crucial difference on trains, buses and in taxis, the question must be begged of Welsh Government - why not in shops also?

"The latest guidance, while a step in the right direction, still doesn't go far enough."

Unite Wales regional secretary Peter Hughes said: "This decision will improve safety on our buses, trains and taxis it will also greatly increase the confidence of the general public to travel on public transport as lockdown measures are eased."

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Coronavirus in Wales: Face coverings mandatory on trains and buses - BBC News

Cant we all just remember the golden rule and treat others how we want to be treated? Its pretty safe to say thats what Erin Napier wishes.

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On Wednesday, July 8, the Home Town co-host took to Instagram to share a not-so-candid post of herself and her husband Ben, accompanied by a powerful caption about her plan to take a stand against harmful Instagram hate.

Turning off comments till 2021 feels like a good move, she began her post. Its getting harder to shoulder every opinion from every direction at all times about everything when everyone is freaking out constantly. Theres too much noise. Its like this: Were each making a bed and cant see how far the sheet is hanging on the other side. We cant see what we cant see. So the best we can do is show compassion in our differences and understanding that were never going to be able to see all things the exact same way because our experiences are not the same. Its nothing to freak out about. No need to shove. Have mercy. Show grace. Social media is for fun. So here, enjoy this totally candid and unposed image. (P.S. I am bad at analogies).

While were unable to see how her followers felt about the social media movegiven comments are shut off, of coursewe bet many of them (ourselves included) are supportive of the choice, while others might be disappointed

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Erin Napier Announced That She's Turning Off Her Instagram Comments Until 2021 - countryliving.com

After Tilton Library in South Deerfield closed in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, library staff began brainstorming ways to creatively continue the librarys annual Summer Reading Program.

After an intense school year being spent online, we wanted to get people off the screen, said Candace Bradbury-Carlin, director of the Tilton Library.

With the doors to the building closed, and patrons no longer allowed inside, she said there was also the question of how the library could continue fostering itsconnection with the community.

From theregrew the idea to produce a journal for the community, written by the community. The collaborative effortwould then function as summer reading material for teens and adults.

After putting out a callfor submissions in late May, the library received a wide variety of writing and artwork from students as young as 13 years old to residents who have retired, she said. Theyreceived poems, short stories, essaysand artwork in all mediums.

The library was really interested in community collaboration,Bradbury-Carlinsaid.And it was really clear that people in the community wanted to have that experience as well.

Erika Higgins Ross, who is partnering with Bradbury-Carlin on the project,said the subject of the submissions was also diverse. While some wrote science fiction, others reflected on issues being faced by society today.

LeoFranceschi, for example, wrote a poem about his own awareness of the Black Lives Matter movement.

I went to a couple protests before I wrote it, said Franceschi, a rising junior at Frontier Regional School in South Deerfield. AndIalso submitted a letter to the Greenfield Recorder about police violence, and how I felt.

The poem, titled Its not fair, is about white privilege and how the concept of race was created, he said. It was his first time writing a poem on the subject.

Franceschi, 16, who lives by the library, said the library is a place he has frequented since he was young. Prior to its closure because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked there as a student assistant librarian.

Im really happy theyre giving us this opportunity for the (journal), he said.

Franceschisaid he hopes his poem prompts othersto examine their own white privilege and what it means for them.

Another artist to be featuredis Deerfield Academy student Julia Hioe, 16, who submitted her painting, Golden Rule.

Hioe said she originally created the painting for an art class.

The assignment for the class was to come up with a bunch of different pieces relating to a question that you thought of, she said. My question was, How can you use art to promote acts of kindness?

Her painting, which depicts a young person on a step-stool, reaching up to a hold an umbrella over an older man who is asleep on a bench.

I wanted to say that anyone can do acts of kindness no matter how tall you are, no matter your age, no matter your background, she said.Anybody has the ability to be kind.

The Deerfield resident said the library has always been an important part of her life.

The library, its a very critical part of who I am, Hioe said.I love reading. During the quarantine, having everything be closed, I am really happy they decided to do this.

With the submission window closed, the journalwill bedesigned by Bradbury-Carlin, edited byHiggins Ross and copy-edited by another member of the community.

The journal will then be folded, stapled and ready for distribution by the end of July. Copies will be free to Deerfield residents, and all others will be asked to contributea suggested donation.

We picture this as a kick-off program and that we might have future issues, said Bradbury-Carlin.Andwhen it's safe to do so, wed like to have some kind of reception where the authors or artists can come in and show their work.

Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 263. Twitter: @MaryEByrne

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Bringing the community together - The Recorder

Albert Browne

Martinsburg

Im so thankful for the caring perspective of Mr. West its a must read for every American that needs to understand important beliefs behind the group BLM, and who supports complete justice.

Article entitled: A Black Mans Letter to Black Lives Matter | CNSNews

https://cnsnews.com/commentary/allen-west/black-mans-letter-black-lives-matter

Mr. West certainly is against unjust brutality and believes that the rule of law is necessary to sustain a civilized society from the anarchy we are now seeing.

Here are some things I want to share: We used to teach the golden rule of How you want to be treated - so treat others. Love does no harm to a neighbor, overcome evil with good, forgive us our trespasses - as we forgive those that trespass against us. Love is the fulfillment of the law. Submit to authority .

I certainly believe people matter and equal justice under the law for all. Im thankful most officials are seeing injustice and are taking lawful action to rectify police brutality yet hopefully still permit the police to do their job. Many of us are concerned that burning looting, rioting, destruction of private property is totally wrong, hypocritical by being unjust to somehow coerce others to be just and non-criminal.

Its never right that any innocents should suffer by an out-of-control mob for the sins of a few. There will always be bad apples in any group yet we are not called to be bigots and stereotype all folk in a group (not even the police) based on a couple of bad apples. There is a proper way to address any injustice and that is through the justice system, peaceful protesting, educating truthfully, calling and writing our reps, voting in the right people and voting out wrong people who support violence, shake-downs, attacking of the police, cover-ups, double standards or harming of innocents or those in the press.

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Law is necessary in civilized society - Martinsburg Journal

The claim: American Red Cross pays its CEO nearly $652,000 while spending $0.09 of every dollar it collects on "people in need."

The claim has been floating around on social media and in forwarded emails for years, but it recently started gaining traction again on Facebook.

The viral post, shared in April 2018 by Mike Totman, shows a woman who is identified as Marsha Evans and says she is the president and CEO of the American Red Cross. It goes on to state her alleged salary and explain how the nonprofit spends its money.

This is not true.

Evans left the nonprofit in 2005. Gail McGovern is the Red Cross current CEO. Shes led the nonprofit since 2008. Her annual salary in 2018 was $694,000.

USA TODAY has reached out to Totman for comment.

Red Cross spending

So, how does the charity spend its money?

Nonprofit groups in the United States have to publicly report what they earn and where they spend it.

The most recent data for the Red Cross comes from its fiscal year ending June 30, 2019. It reported spending 88% (about $2.7 billion) of its $3 billion budget on "program services."

Most of that money, about $1.74 billion, went to what the Red Cross labeled "biomedical services." Thats the part of the charity that collects donated blood and sells it to hospitals and health-care providers. About $667 million went to disaster relief services, according to the annual report.

Selling donated blood is a standard practice, according to a Slate article called "The Business of Blood." Most charities that collect blood will sell it to cover some of their costs. The groups financial statements show more than half the biomedical dollars ($921 million) went to employee wages and benefits.

And what about McGovern? How is she paid?

"Red Cross President and CEO Gail McGoverns salary and benefits are paid from general operating funds," spokesperson Jenelle Eli said. "General operating funds include all revenue and contributions not restricted by donors, contracts or specific program costs."

Those funds amounted to about $103 million, according to the 2019 financial statements.

The American Red Cross also states on its website that "no portion of the compensation paid to McGovern comes from contributions by the public to help people affected by disasters."

What percentage of my donation goes to program services?

"That 0.09 cents statistic is not and has never been accurate," Eli said. "The American Red Cross is proud that an average of 90 cents of every dollar we spend is invested in delivering care and comfort to those in need."

Charity Navigator, a watchdog group that grades charities on their financial health, transparency and fundraising costs, estimated the Red Cross spends almost 90% of its "total expenses spent on the programs and services it delivers."

The Red Cross overall ranking on Charity Navigator is three out of four stars and an overall score of 89 out of 100.

A charity that spent 9 cents of every dollar raised on its programs wouldnt get a good score, Charity Navigator spokesman Kevin Scally said. The nonprofit is working on a new grading system that would automatically fail charities that dropped below 50 cents on the dollar.

"I think its been kind of a long-established golden rule of nonprofits that you want at least 70% going toward your stated cause," Scally said.

A 2014 investigation by NPR and ProPublica said the Red Cross' percentage could be closer to 70%.

The article called the claim by the Red Cross that "91 cents of every dollar that's donated goes to our services" misleading. Fundraising expenses over five years, according to documents reviewed by the news outlets, ranged from 14%-26% of every dollar the Red Cross raised.

Our ruling: False

The post gets both the name and annual salary of the CEO wrong. And though there is some evidence that the Red Cross has spent less than it says on program services over the years, there is no evidence to suggest its ratio is anywhere near as low as 9 cents on the dollar.

Our fact-check sources:

American Red Cross - "Red Cross Statement on Inaccurate Viral Email on Charity CEO Pay"

American Red Cross - "THE AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS Consolidated Financial Statements June 30, 2019"

American Red Cross - How the Red Cross Spends Your Donations

ProPublica - "The Red Cross CEO Has Been Serially Misleading About Where Donors Dollars Are Going"

Slate - "The Business of Blood Does the Red Cross sell your frozen plasma?"

Charity Navigator - "American Red Cross"

Our fact check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

astaver@dispatch.com

@annastaver

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Fact check: Does Red Cross really spend only 9% of its money on charity? - The Columbus Dispatch

Most of the worlds major religious traditions teach some variation of the Golden Rule, the same rule many kids learn in kindergarten: Treat others as you want to be treated. At the root of this common moral principle lie two fundamental recognitions. Despite our myriad differences, we all want and deserve fair and kind treatment, and we are all deeply interconnected dependent on one another and responsible for each other. In my own tradition of Unitarian Universalism, we express these principles in our covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and respect for the interconnected web of existence.

The COVID-19 pandemic is laying bare with terrifying clarity the truth of these principles. It is reminding us that we literally depend on each other for survival. When I wear a face covering, I protect you; when you wear a face covering, you protect me. And it is teaching us that we are all only as safe as the most vulnerable among us. If we as a society dont protect those who cant afford rent from becoming homeless, we put everyone at greater risk. If we imprison asylum seekers or condone the policies of mass incarceration, we ensure that the virus will continue tearing through our overcrowded jails and prisons and into surrounding communities. And if we continue to disproportionately invest in a broken system of policing instead of health care, education, affordable housing and public services, we will continue to undermine both public health and public safety.

The simultaneity of COVID-19 and the uprisings against systemic racism and police brutality is no coincidence. In addition to our interdependence, the pandemic also reveals where our social, political and economic systems are broken. It reveals the ugly truth of systemic racism that puts Black and brown people at greater risk not only of illness, but also of poverty, unemployment, homelessness, incarceration and police violence.

The great American writer and activist James Baldwin famously said: Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced. By forcing us to face truths that have been long denied in this country, the pandemic offers us all a choice. Are we going to give in to fear, hatred and blame, doubling down on the ideologies and practices of individualism, competition, white supremacy and state violence? Or are we going to take this time of shutdown, uncertainty and unrest to reflect on our shared interests and to reimagine who we want to be as people, as communities, as a country?

In San Mateo County, it seems we arent yet sure. On June 23, for example, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to adopt a resolution supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and then approved a budget with a $12 million increase to the Sheriffs Office, including nearly $1 million for new Tasers, and substantial cuts to a variety of safety net programs. In a time of pandemic and in a county where three men of color were killed with a Taser by law enforcement in a single year (2018), the juxtaposition between the supervisors words and deeds is stark indeed.

Like our county supervisors, many religious communities, businesses, organizations and individuals are waking up to the long-standing realities of systemic racism and police brutality and declaring publicly that Black Lives Matter. But we cant just affirm that Black Lives Matter in words. We need to affirm that they matter in our budgets, in our policies, in our schools, in our houses of worship, in our workplaces and in our homes.

Historically, writes Arundhati Roy, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.

May our descendants remember this pandemic time as the time we learned to protect ourselves by protecting each other, prioritizing the most vulnerable among us. May they remember this as the time we finally harnessed our collective power to build communities of justice and compassion for all, right here in San Mateo County.

Dr. Tovis Page is a Unitarian Universalist seminarian and the program coordinator for the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort, a group of more than 35 religious leaders from diverse traditions working to leverage moral power for the common good in San Mateo County.

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In this time of pandemic | Guest Perspectives - San Mateo Daily Journal

Tammy Caputi, opinion contributor Published 6:00 a.m. MT July 9, 2020

Opinion: Leaving Guy Phillips' offensive comment to the voters misses the point.We need leaders who will govern with facts and have the courage to take a stand when it matters.

Scottsdale City Councilman Guy Phillips speaks during a press conference regarding calls for his resignation because of his "I can't breathe" comment at a recent rally on June 30, 2020, outside Scottsdale City Hall.(Photo: Sean Logan/The Republic)

The recent protests about systemic racism have brought national awareness to the issues of justice and equality for all.

When a group of people cant count on the machinery of justice to treat them fairly our country is not living up to its ideals.

Scottsdale need to reach higher as a city. The tumultuous events going on around the world are also felt here at home. This is a wake-up call to do better, not just talk about it.

Scottsdale is a Golden Rule City; we embrace the values of kindness, empathy, respect and civility. Our city leaders have a responsibility to uphold and model our values.

A member of our city council recently degraded the city nationally and beyond. Responsibility to speak out lies with our civic leaders, who must include consequences in their condemnation. Those aligned with Council member Guy Phillips should separate from him, following the examples of the Coalition of Greater Scottsdale, the Police of Scottsdale Association and the United Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association.

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As suggested by Gov. Doug Ducey, resignation is the appropriate remedy. If Council member Phillips will not do the honorable thing, then the city council should condemn his conduct publicly.

Leaving this to voters misses the point.We need leaders who will govern with facts and have the courage to take a stand when it matters. We got to this watershed moment because no one helped a man who was being choked to death. We cant stand by while others do something immoral, illegalor unsafeits our duty to stop it.

Scottsdale must be open for business and welcoming equally to everyone. Its the right thing to do, the right message for our city, and the right remedy for Scottsdales brand. We need to leverage this moment of increased awareness of systemic injustices to make our city even better.

We should immediately pass a nondiscrimination ordinance that allows all our citizens to enjoy the same rights. Scottsdale is a golden rule city, and a business and tourism leader; lets own this message.

We needto create a more robust Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The department has one staffer out of 2,000 city employees. It's buried four levels deep on the org chart.We have a Human Relations Commission that could lead on this topic if the mayor and council members made it a priority.

Our neighbors in the city of Tempe lead Arizona in addressing systemic racism. They have invested in a larger staff to support their efforts. They have an initiative called The Right to Breathe,which will examine the areas where there are gaps to better address the underlying issues. They are reexamining core services like schools, courts, and discrimination complaints.

We can collaborate with other cities and share best ideas through the Maricopa Association of Governments with programs that could be consistent on a regional and state level.

Justice is not a zero sum gameone group doesnt have to lose for another group to gain; we can all win. I support fair treatment for all, balancing the needs of all our citizens, including our dedicated public safety/police officers.

The reputation of our city has been damaged and businesses and tourists are being deterred while we struggleto revive our economy and secure our future. Lets be proactive. Lets be leaders. Scottsdale needs to heal the wound and move forwardas a community, better than ever.

TammyCaputi is president of Yale Electric West and a candidate for Scottsdale City Council in the Aug. 4 primaryelection. Reach her at tammy@tammycaputi.com; on Twitter,@tammycaputi.

Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2020/07/09/scottsdale-city-council-censure-guy-phillips-pass-nondescrimination/5402230002/

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Don't leave Guy Phillips to voters. The Scottsdale council should at least censure him - AZCentral

By John R.Stone

Why are people so angry?

I was watching the news recently and people were complaining to a city government in Florida about the citys plans to require people to wear masks in public because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One woman complained that her constitutional rights were being violated by such a requirement. She probably didnt remember her city also had an ordinance that required her to cover other parts of her body. Another accused the city of being fascist. Another said she couldnt breathe through a mask. And it went on.

Another news clip showed a woman in South Dakota telling a Native American to go home if he didnt like the fireworks show at Mount Rushmore. Of course she didnt have a clue that he was at his home and his ancestors had been there far longer than hers had.

Weve seen people tearing down statues because they are angry that the person portrayed doesnt deserve the honor of a statue. Maybe he or she doesnt deserve a statue, but should they have the right in their anger to tear it down?

We saw what happened in Minneapolis with the George Floyd killing. Some angry people jumped in with the protestors there and burned and looted businesses.

Last week we celebrated Independence Day. People were angry then, too. But instead of tearing things down (although you might argue that the Boston Tea Party was tearing things down) they decided to create their own country. The king of England had not been nice to people so they declared their independence and formed the United States of America.

Those founders who signed the Declaration of Independence were marked men. Once they signed that document they were formally committing a treasonous act against England and, if caught, they could have faced the penalty of death.

Were these perfect men? No. Today we can look back and criticize them for owning slaves and a few other things. But nevertheless they laid their lives on the line for this country.

Then they created our Constitution, a document that works today even though it was created over 230 years ago, long before electricity, the internet, TV, cars, cell phones and airplanes.

Most current citizens of this country didnt have to do anything other than be born here. It was a gift given to them by their parents deciding to have their child born in the U.S. They didnt have to take a test, swear an oath, put their lives on the line or make any commitments to anyone.

And yet it is the responsibility of these people to maintain and support this country so that it can survive and hopefully thrive.

Many have stepped up when their country called, but even those people, millions of them, are a small minority of the entire citizenship.

Our job as citizens is to pay our taxes. Our job as citizens is to vote and elect people we think will best represent us in our various level of government from cities and townships to county government, state government and federal government. Our job as citizens is to watch them and make sure they do what we want them to do.

When our elected officials fail us we let them know. We can vote them out of office or, if we feel they have violated a law, sue them.

But, as we do that, we need to be informed. We need to listen and understand the issues (both sides if there is more than one side). We need to follow the Golden Rule and speak in normal tones and expect to be treated the same in return.

If that doesnt work, then you can get angry, but instead of breaking things and yelling and screaming, steer that anger to making things better. This country can and should be made better, and all citizens should be working to that end. Its our job. And it never ends.

Excerpt from:

It's our job to make this country better - Pope County Tribune

Charles Krupa / AP

LOS ANGELES The Latinx vote in the upcoming November elections is critical. Dont be denied the right to vote. Dont get discouraged if there are attempts to sway you away from voting. One person, one vote is still the golden rule of democracy. Su voto es su vozYour vote is your voice.

Voter suppression is a common practice used to disenfranchise people of color. Barriers to voting have a long and sinister history in California and throughout the United States. As far back as 1877, the Dixiecrats designed and passed laws to suppress the Black vote. The racist Jim Crow laws were nothing more than legalizing rules to subject Black people to violence and condemnation by the rule of law.

Latinx/Mexicans felt the effects of discrimination in other ways. On Sept. 9, 1850, California became the 31st state of the union. From the early days of the 1800s tension between California Anglo and Latinx/Mexican populations escalated. Prejudice, suppression of rights, and exclusion from the community at large, otherwise known as segregation, became the rule of law.

The single most important exclusionary action came in the suppression of the Latinx/Mexican vote and to deny representation. In many cases, Latinx/Mexicans were just outright forbidden to vote or they were just ignored as voters. Lynching became a way to instill fear and promote the white-only agenda of know your place. Such discrimination and voter suppression continued even as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, that ended the U.S. war against Mexico, recognized the right to vote for the Latinx/Mexican population.

It is true that in the early days of statehood, California had Latinx/Mexican politicians. These were rich elite land and hacienda owners. Their main consideration consisted of maintaining their status, empowering themselves, and conspiring with the financial class in order to create more wealth at the expense of the working class. Their self-serving aristocratic manner had long-lasting and devastating effects on the Latinx/Mexican population.

By the 1920s, white anxiety about Latinx/Mexicans reached a point of heightened crisis. From 1923, non-whites werent allowed to participate in various civic activities, including the right to vote. Amidst this tension, deportation, segregation, economic suppression, and white purity became the new methods of exercising public domination over the Latinx/Mexican population.

In that same year, the Ku Klux Klan in Los Angeles and Orange Counties gained significant power, with now greater influence within city councils and on the states politicians. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, powerful anti-immigrant forces and America First nationalists aligned together in order to deliberately plan policies to discriminate against the Latinx/Mexican and Black populations.

Marlon Bishop and Julia Shu, authors of History of Anti-Mexican Violence and Lynching, wrote: Murder continued with impunity until 1922. A different kind of form took place. It couldnt be the same public execution of Mexicans. It had to be secret, covered-by-night. It was a transformative movement.

During this same period, to reinforce the dominance of white superiority the so-called race scientists emerged. Many academic institutions, including Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and Princeton espoused such race theory and race science as far back as 1909. This new form of intimidation (eugenics, segregation laws, and forced sterilization) and discrimination continued well into the 1930s and later with the development of systematic mass expulsion.

In 1931, deportation occurred regardless of immigration status due to the demand of the white populations false fear that immigrants were creating economic and social discord. The great expulsion of 1936 occurred when over two million Mexican Americans, many of them U.S. citizens, were deported, based on the same reasoning that unwelcome demographic changes were taking place in the United States. Politicians and policymakers decided that the increase in Latinx/Mexican numbers, and migration across the border, needed to be addressed. The policy action to solve this issue was systematic mass expulsion. This policy extended well into the 1970s and is in use today by the current administration.

New barriers to voting

Voter suppression is much deeper and more sinister than just barriers at the polls. However, suppression is a commonplace tactic that throughout history has been used to routinely make it harder for Latinx and people of color to vote than their white fellow citizens.

A recent Brennan Center for Justice report (June 3, 2020), Waiting to Vote: Racial Disparities in Election Day Experience, stated that A large body of recent scholarship has been established that throughout the country Latino and Black voters wait longer to cast their ballots than white voters. Indeed, a quantifiable racial disparity in voting wait times has been identified consistently over the past decade.

Aside from the historic racist policies established to disenfranchise voters, suppression proceeds apace with new or resuscitated tactics, including English-only ballots, literacy tests, poll taxes, denial of voting rights to prisoners and former felons, redistricting of voting districts, allegations of voting fraud, closing down of polling places, intimidation at the polls, detail of absentee ballot rights, malfunctioning or fixed machines, no paper ballot recordall meant to disenfranchise Latinx voters.

The Brennan Center report made specific recommendations to address the issue of voter suppression:

Dont give in to the fear of race-baiting and class bias! Dont take the bait! Latinos have the right to vote! There have been many times, and in many different ways, that this right has been threatened.

People of color have taken to the streets by the millions to protect this right. Many have died to keep this right. Let us soar high with pride and dignity. Latinos are here to stay. As the old Southern hymn reminds us, We shall not be moved.

Vote them out! Vote!

Read more:

The continuing evolution of Latinx votingand voter suppression - People's World