WS Chronicle

A matter of respect toward Israel

To the Editor:

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress on March 3:

I am deeply troubled by the profound disrespect that Speaker Boehner has shown towards the President and the blatant politicization of the U.S.-Israel relationship. By inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu, Speaker Boehner violated long established diplomatic protocols.  Making U.S. – Israeli relations a partisan issue could have lasting, detrimental repercussions and Speaker Boehner’s decision to not include the White House or Democratic Leadership in his plans was irresponsible and I disagree with the process.

However, my decision to attend today’s [March 3] speech was a matter of respect for our greatest ally in the Middle East, Israel.   Forty years as a professor and member of the Academy has taught me how critically important and valuable it is to listen – even to opinions and people I might not necessarily agree with.  While I did not agree with the process, I felt it necessary to listen.

 U.S. Rep. Alma Adams, N.C. District 12

Republican Party officials speak about Selma   

To the Editor:

Fifty years ago this Sunday, the eyes of the nation were on Selma. As we commemorate Bloody Sunday, we honor the marchers and we remember their bravery. They faced down those who would deny them their rights, there at the Edmund Pettus Bridge and across their state.

So determined were the marchers that only tear gas and billy clubs could turn them away — and only for a day. And just two weeks later, they finished what they began, marching from Selma to Montgomery, this time not 600-strong but 25,000-strong as supporters joined from across the country.

Today we celebrate the spirit of Selma. America owes a great debt to the marchers who shone a light on injustice with their own selflessness and sacrifice. We are a better nation for that 54-mile journey.

Our country has come a long way in fifty years, and America has overcome much. But there is still work to be done to expand opportunity for all. To protect the voting rights for which Americans marched in 1965, Congressmen, like Republican Jim Sensenbrenner, have introduced legislation to combat discrimination while also protecting against fraud. The right to vote is a sacred American right, for which many have bled — in foreign battlefields and on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

 RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.

“It is my prayer today that as we mark this anniversary all Americans will remember the important place that Selma has in our history.  We remember the American heroes who stood on that bridge, who endured brutal beatings and violence, and who opened our nation’s eyes to the injustice in our country. We give thanks for their bravery, and we must always honor them.”

Co-Chairman Sharon Day

Rand, Rubio and the RNC celebrate Selma…just not it’s outcome

To the Editor:

Sen. Rand Paul, self-appointed civil rights hero, gave a glowing interview released today [Friday, March 6] about the importance of Selma.

“(Bloody Sunday in Selma) helped solidify (for) people that it was really time to fix the tragedy of separation and segregation,” Paul said.

Not to be outdone, Sen. Marco Rubio released a statement on Selma today that ignored his past endorsement of Florida’s controversial voter purge effort and past comments blowing off concerns over voter ID laws.

Meanwhile, RNC Chair Reince Priebus, who has warned that electoral fraud is a “persistent threat to our electoral system” and supports voter ID laws, released this statement about the right to vote being sacred:

“To protect the voting rights for which Americans marched in 1965, Congressmen, like Republican Jim Sensenbrenner, have introduced legislation to combat discrimination while also protecting against fraud. The right to vote is a sacred American right, for which many have bled—in foreign battlefields and on the Edmund Pettus Bridge.”

Well, since Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and the RNC are making such affirmative statements about how important Selma is, they would probably do well to get that message out to folks like … Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and the RNC.

After the Supreme Court gutted the enforcement mechanisms for the Voting Rights Act, here’s Rand Paul on why, actually, the outcome of Selma isn’t that important:

Paul: There was a time in our country when I think the color of your skin did need to factor into voting, but I think we’ve really gotten beyond that now. We have an African-American president. African-Americans are voting at a higher percentage in the last election than whites. There doesn’t seem to be any sort of systemic problem like there was in the South with precluding blacks from voting. So we’re at a point in time in our history where the color of your skin should not be taken into account with voting. [Newsmax 6/25/13]

That came on top of Rand’s now-famous skepticism about the Civil Rights Act and his attacks on the Fair Housing

 Democratic National Committee via http://factivists.democrats.org/