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It’s Not Jim Crow
The outrage from Democrats and Republicans (for different reasons) regarding the changes to Georgia’s voting laws is just plain pathetic. Although it’s tempting to ignore them, the arguments from both sides are misleading, incomplete, and dangerous. And more of these laws are being passed and proposed by other states to bring integrity and fairness to the voting laws.
The Federal government is doing everything in its power to wrest away the power to define elections that have been governed by the states, and Republicans have to stop making vague and general protests about the accusations, denying the incorrectness of the criticisms and, and state why the new laws will actually benefit all peoples, black, white, and other races.
We must overcome the hyperbolic language of the Left from dominating the conversation and educate the public. We also must acknowledge that we have allowed our schools to deprive our children of a legitimate education about the history of race, particularly in the areas of voting rights and elections; these are the people who will influence how we move forward into the elections of the future. I propose that we briefly review the origin of “Jim Crow Laws,” limit our discussion to their application to elections, and then identify how to enlighten the public about the efficacy and appropriateness of the election changes we anticipate.
The phrase was first seen in 1800s:
The phrase ‘Jim Crow Law’ can be found as early as 1892 in the title of a New York Times article about Louisiana requiring segregated railroad cars. The origin of the phrase ‘Jim Crow’ has often been attributed to ‘Jump Jim Crow,’ a song-and-dance caricature of black people performed by white actor Thomas D. Rice in blackface, which first surfaced in 1828 and was used to satirize Andrew Jackson’s populist policies. As a result of Rice’s fame, ‘Jim Crow’ by 1838 had become a pejorative expression meaning “Negro. When southern legislatures passed laws of racial segregation directed against” black people at the end of the 19th century, these statutes became known as Jim Crow laws.
Although Jim Crow laws were ubiquitous in the South, it’s helpful to maintain a clear focus on the effect of those laws on voting rights for blacks. Multiple states made repeated efforts to disenfranchise black voters:
Democrats passed laws to make voter registration and electoral rules more restrictive, with the result that political participation by most black people and many poor white people began to decrease. Between 1890 and 1910, ten of the eleven former Confederate states, starting with Mississippi, passed new constitutions or amendments that effectively disenfranchised most black people and tens of thousands of poor white people through a combination of poll taxes, literacy and comprehension tests, and residency and record-keeping requirements.
Every southern State had its own specific requirements, and although the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was passed, it was largely ineffective. Finally, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 “ended legally sanctioned barriers to voting for all federal, state and local elections. It also provided for federal oversight and monitoring of counties with historically low minority voter turnout.”
* * * * *
Given that history of elections, let’s look at the results of minorities registering to vote and voting in elections in 2020:
The number of Black Americans eligible to vote for president has reached a record 30 million in 2020, with more than one-third living in nine of the nation’s most competitive states– Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – a higher share than the 29% of all U.S. eligible voters who live in these states. Nationwide, Black eligible voters now make up 12.5% of the U.S. electorate, up from 11.5% in 2000.
Rather than protesting about lack of access to voting, blacks were voting in record numbers:
For this year’s [2020] upcoming presidential election, a recent Pew Research Center Survey found that 63% of Black registered voters are extremely motivated to vote. Furthermore, among those who support Joe Biden, over a third (35%) said that they plan on casting or have already cast their vote by absentee or mail-in ballot.
Their enthusiasm included support of voter ID as well, according to Jason Snead, the Executive Director of Honest Elections Project:
Contrary to the Democrat Party’s narrative, Snead’s memo reveals that the majority of voters, including the majority of black and Hispanic voters, support basic election integrity measures such as voter ID, which Democrats routinely describe as a form of voter suppression.
* * * * *
Let me simply list the “draconian restrictions” that the Democrats claim regarding the new voting law in Georgia:
Lie: You can’t give water to people standing in line to vote.
Truth: Water can be made available at the site or by poll voters; water distributed by political operatives might be given to unduly influence voters.
Lie: Voting access has been reduced.
Truth: Polling places still permit voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; if they are in line by 7 p.m., they can still vote.
Lie: Asking for ID will cause “voter suppression”
Truth: Multiple means of identification have been identified as acceptable and 35 states already require ID. As stated earlier, the majority of blacks favor voter ID. And Georgia voters can acquire a Georgia ID card.
* * * * *
So, when we are confronted by people of the Left about the legitimacy of the upcoming state election law revisions, keep in mind the information that I’ve shared here. Then I suggest we ask them for specific answers to the following in an open, non-confronting way:
- What elements of the new law reflect Jim Crow laws?
- How do you define voter suppression? Based on your definition, what restrictions are in the new law(s)?
- How do you explain blacks’ enthusiasm for voting in record numbers?
- How do you explain the majority of blacks supporting voter ID?
- What are the reasons you’re willing to sacrifice voter integrity for your political agenda?
- Are you aware that Federalism puts the management of elections in the states’ corners?
The tragedy in this electoral drama is that the Left is still treating blacks as they did back in the Jim Crow days: as ignorant, illiterate, and stupid.
If anyone is demonstrating Jim Crow practices, it’s the Left.
Published in Elections
It is obviously not Jim Crow, but when the mainstream media, all-American baseball, and other major corporations tell you the Georgia law is voter suppression, it is hard to fight through that dishonest narrative.
It’s all hard, @americanabroad, and it’s never-ending. We have to keep speaking up, or we are lost.
The Left assumes that we will get tired of the fight. We have to be remorseless, persistent and fierce. We must!
Indeed, this is key. If we can be the lonely voices of reason, at some point the “silent majority” might have cause to say “enough.”
I collided with the reality of this situation today in my college class (an International Relations course analyzing key episodes of the 20th century.) 8 of 10 students admitted that they had never heard of Johnson’s “Great Society” programs, or the nature of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Hence, they couldn’t understand Johnson’s actions over the course of the Prague Spring in 1968, nor the significance of the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia. “So, what.” you might say…
My point is that, these are all highly-motivated, high achieving students. Several are Seniors, including two graduating soon with honors. Not knowing about the Prague Spring? No problem, that’s why they’re taking my course. Not knowing about Johnson’s “Great Society”, and it’s relationship to FDR’s “New Deal” or Wilson’s “War Socialism”? Appalling.
I do the best I can to fill in the gaps, but it’s hard not to become completely discouraged.
I am not from Texas and I have never been a Democrat, so tell me if I have this right or wrong. Lyndon Johnson was a Texas Democrat and a racist who supported the creation of what is called the “Great Society” as a program providing welfare to those needing it and which would enhance the standing of the Democrat Party with urban Blacks and retain their loyalty forever by keeping them dependent on government largesse.
Bless you, @postmodernhoplite! And know that we are all behind you. It must be so very discouraging, but I have hope that some people are dedicated to teaching the truth. Its an uphill battle but I support you!
It strikes me that we all have some holes in our education (except Percival, of course) but I have an insatiable desire to learn. It is that curiosity and desire that the current generation lacks, and it will not serve them well.
Yes, you are right on all four points. I couldn’t have summarized it any better.
Just curious: what’s this “both sides” stuff?
And, who would have thought that we would reach the point that this abject ignorance has reached the highest levels of business in this country?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/georgia-voting-law-response-corporate-ceos-meeting/
The last time that companies fell all over themselves to follow the prescribed line, their names were Krupp and IG Farben. We all know how that turned out.
Today’s hyperbole reduces the impact of horrific events of the past. I think it disrespects the importance of the Holocaust and chattel slavery and Jim Crow era when those comparisons are thrown around willy-nilly. We should be serious people and treat serious things in a serious way. When somebody drops a hyperbolic reference with me, they have stopped the conversion right there.
I think Republicans have offered vague and ineffective protests to the Jim Crow accusations. They need to do a much better job of explaining specifically why it is not Jim Crow, rather than just wringing their hands.
I agree, @cacrabtree. They are in a position to know the facts, and they look stupid in their protests.
I agree, but that is not the same as “both sides”. Only one side is calling mundane, already-existing provisions Jim Crow in some disingenuous or stupid campaign to score political points with the stupid or the disingenuous. only one side is fomenting racial strife.
Ed, I didn’t say both sides were identical.
Ok, but “both sides” doesn’t belong within 100 miles of this discussion of Dems cynically equating voter ID with Jim Crow, let alone in the opening statement. “The arguments from both sides are misleading, incomplete, and dangerous”? Hardly.
I agree because Jim Crow is a term Democrats earned and own.
Interesting set of facts you present in your essay. I had wondered over the decency of depriving people of water while in line, and found it interesting that poll workers can distribute water to voters.
One hundred million dollars in revenue for having the MLB in Atlanta for the All Star game series. But due to the false notion that the new election law in Georgia is more restrictive than that of Colorado, that event and its revenue have been pulled out of Atlanta.
Atlanta Georgia, population of African Americans: a bit over 50%
Denver Colorado, population of African Americans: 10 percent.
The “deprived of water” bit was always an outright lie. People in line can drink water. It’s vote hustlers who are deprived of hustling votes in the guise of giving waster to thirsty people (who would be able to bring their own or go get something to drink the short time they would be done voting and free to drink whatever they want).
Besides, white people get thirsty too, so this is hardly some racial Jim Crow.
It’s all just so obviously disingenuous.
@caroljoy, at first glance this is an interesting point. But what does it have to with the Jim Crow attacks? Many people have made this argument and I don’t understand it. Georgia is not “more entitled” to the game because they have a larger black population, nor is Colorado more entitled to the game because they have fewer. I thought CO’s comment about all the money they were going to make (and therefore all the money Georgia would lose) was a nasty poke in the eye.
Have you head the pathetic comments Republicans have made condemning the Democrats for their statements? They are vague, feckless and unimpressive–and I’m holding them to account for making such a sad showing when they should be denouncing the Democrats to high heaven and giving specific explanations why the Dems statements are literally lies. If you are willing to give the Republicans a pass because the Dems are so much worse, go for it; I won’t.
Right on!
Even this contains hyperbole.
The Holocaust was vastly worse than American slavery. Slavery was vastly worse than Jim Crow.
None of these historical practices was good, but there was a huge difference in the degree to which they were bad, I think.
Okay, I agree with you that no region of a country is more entitled to a benefit, be it derived from a private corporation or a governmental agency, based on racial demographics.
However the MLB was making the point that the racist new Georgia voting laws were reviving the once buried Jim Crow statutes. And that due to the MLB being all fancy pantsy into progressive causes like promoting people of color, their hand was forced and because of their political convictions, they had to punish Atlanta.
At least that is how I view the presentation of the situation on the media and the social media over the last week.
Maybe they want to claim that only white people can afford bottled water.
I agree with that entirely; I’m no cheerleader for Republicans lack of feck and impression. I don’t give them a pass. It’s just a different discussion entirely. It’s the difference between a victim of a bully not doing all he could to protect himself vs the culpability of the bully to begin with. Yes we can expect more of the victim and encourage self improvement, but there is no both sides to the matter.
Also, I don’t mean anything personal toward you even if my objection can be taken as fiery.
I know that, Ed . You are always respectful toward me. (I probably wasn’t this time.) I just wanted us to understand each other. Thanks for your patience.
Did the election procedures established and administered by the states just result in a stolen Presidential election?
I remember when ‘gravitas’ appeared out of nowhere and infested newsrooms and conversations all across America.
‘Jim Crow’ is much the same, in that the people speaking it do not have much idea what it means, but have realized it be used to inflict blunt force trauma.