Guard your Entitlement!

     "Now, I don’t think that’s attributable to the fact that it is so much clearer now that we need this. I think it is attributable, very likely attributable, to a phenomenon that is called perpetuation of racial entitlement. It’s been written about. Whenever a society adopts racial entitlements, it is very difficult to get out of them through the normal political processes." 

(Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act 

     For those who don't know the Voting Rights Act was enacted in 1965 to ensure that all states did not use discriminatory practices to keep Minority Voters from rightfully casting their ballots.  Opponents of the continuation of the act object to Section 5 which requires certain States/Districts to get pre-clearance  before enacting any sort of voting changes (Re-districting etc).  They argue that even the worst violators from the 1960s and 70s have come a long way and no longer practice discriminatory techniques against Non-White voters.

     Now believe it or not, this rant isn't about whether we still need the VRA or more specifically Section 5 of the VRA.  Although I do have an observation on that after the actual rant.  No, this little rant is about how one Man can call ensuring that everyone regardless of Race or Creed has the same right to vote a "Racial Entitlement."

     The VRA wasn't adopted as a Racial Entitlement...well unless you are talking about the human race as a whole, then it might work.  It was created because a huge portion of our population was being kept from exercising their rights.  White people in many states (Mostly the South but also some Northern States as well) were using a multitude of things to intimidate Non-Whites to keep them from voting.  Ranging anywhere from a Literacy Test (BTW Being Literate is not required to vote in any election despite what a lot of people seem to believe.) to outright murder, these road blocks were almost impossible to overcome.  So the VRA was born.

     Even today, there are still forces out there that would love to keep others from voting.  One observer compared it to the "White Fear" that ran rampant right after the Civil War when many people in the South were terrified that the newly freed Slaves would suddenly run amok and take over everything.  

     In a loose way, I can agree with that.  The voting Demographic is shifting very dramatically and very quickly.  With more and more Non-White, in many cases Non-Christian populations voting in elections, a lot of people are afraid of loosing out to "them."  So, the VRA is probably just as relevant today as it was nearly 50 years ago.

     As I close this little rant, let me leave you with a thought.  The VRA was created to make sure that no Minority was forbidden the right to vote, but it actually stands for so much more than that.  The VRA is designed to make sure that NO ONE is forbidden the right to vote regardeless of who or what they might be.  With our Country's Racial Map changing so rapidly, Caucasians may well soon be in the minority.  Some experts predict that as early as 2025, Non-Whites will outnumber Whites.  So with the human propensity to favor one's fellows, wouldn't you like some safeguards put into place to protect your rights?  I'm just saying...

End of Rant