Review the NAACP's Questionnaire and a Legal
Scholar's Study of Candidates' Campaign Stances
The NAACP and legal scholar Vernellia Randall, of the
University of Dayton, Ohio, have done the national discourse a great service
through dint of hard work and attention to what has been almost totally lacking
in the Democratic presidential primary process: attention to the issues.
Both efforts were exhaustive. The NAACP submitted 37
questions to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, asking them to explain for the
record their positions on issues ranging from Affirmative Action, to
Reparations, discrimination in so-called "Charitable Choice,"
Election Reform, Voter Re-Enfranchisement, Voting Rights for DC, Federal
Judgeships, and Immigration.
The questions and the candidates responses can be accessed
at:
The
NAACP 2008 Presidential Candidate Civil Rights Questionnaire
http://www.naacp.org/news/press/2008-02-01/RESPONSES.
Clinton_Obama.pdf
Prof. Randall looks deep into the candidates' views on how
race affects the legal system, and what can be done about it. In her words, the
assessment "is not
about which candidate's platform is best, but which
candidate does more than acknowledge the existence of racial
inequalities, but includes a plan to eliminate those inequalities."
She reviews
the candidates public statements on "eliminating racial inequalities" in the
justice system, their failure to acknowledge inequalities, or their admission
that inequalities exist, but failure to propose ways of eliminating racial bias
under the law. Her topics range across the entire spectrum of reality in which
the legal system impacts the fates and fortunes of citizens, especially African
Americans.
Prof.
Randall's surveys of Clinton and Obama are found at:
Clinton's
Platform on Eliminating Racial Inequalities
http://academic.udayton.edu/race/2008ElectionandRacism/Clinton/
Clinton00.htm
and,
Obama's
Platform on Eliminating Racial Inequalities
http://academic.udayton.edu/race/2008ElectionandRacism/Obama/
Obama00.htm
We urge
those who are serious about politics to review and save these two valuable
studies. We at BAR have found they confirm what we, as journalists, have long
noted: there are exceedingly few substantive differences between Obama
and Clinton. Virtually all that separates them is their styles of public performance and
rhetoric - and both are largely bereft of ideas for true "change."
But check
it out for yourself.
- The Editors
We are joined by Joe Torres to discuss the 1921 Tulsa Massacre and the media’s role in instigating the atrocity.
Yurij Rudensky joins us to discuss a lawsuit against Galveston County, Texas, brought by Black and Latino residents over its racially discriminatory district map.
Melanie Dominguez joins us to discuss the conditions in New York State jails and prisons and explain why new legislation to expand and strengthen the State Commission of Correction is needed.
Giving Juneteenth the imprimatur of a state stamp of approval makes it problematic, and no longer the people’s holiday it has been for nearly 100 years.
The Biden administration and congress work together in their efforts to secure what they think is U.S. domination. They are playing a dangerous game and now try to bring back a draft through sleight…
