Posted on 12/28/2005 4:33:46 PM PST by freepatriot32
MACON, Miss., Dec. 28, 2005 — In overwhelmingly black and Democratic Noxubee County, Miss., everybody knows local Democratic Party chairman Ike Brown.
Officials at the U.S. Justice Department know Brown too; they're suing him.
Using the 1965 Voting Rights Act, the government has alleged that Brown and local elections officials discriminated against whites. It is the first time the Justice Department has ever claimed that whites suffered discrimination in voting because of race.
"When I read the letter, it was junk, you know, bogus," Brown told ABC News.
The Justice Department says Brown and local elections officials disenfranchised whites — challenging their voting status, rejecting their absentee ballots and telling voters to choose candidates according to race.
Brown says he has merely tried to keep white Republicans from voting in Democratic primaries. He says the lawuit is all political — an attempt to discredit him because the Democratic Party in eastern Mississippi has been doing so well at bringing new voters to the polls, which may mean someday soon that Mississippi, a red state, could turn blue.
"The Justice Department's become an arm of the RNC," Brown said.
The Justice Department would not comment, but county prosecutor Ricky Walker is a potential witness for the government. Walker was surprised when Brown recruited a black candidate who didn't even live in the county to run against him. Walker, after all, is a Democrat.
"Mr. Brown seems to favor black candidates," Walker said. "He's always encouraged blacks to vote strictly for the black candidates."
Unapologetic About Bias
Brown is unapologetic.
He says some local white Democrats aren't "true" Democrats.
"We support the black candidates because we're sure they're going to vote in the liberal interest," Brown said.
The case takes on added complexities given the state's turbulent history during and after the civil rights era, especially those struggles having to do with voting. Mississippi is where civil rights leader Medgar Evers was murdered, as were the three civil rights workers looking to register blacks to vote, as depicted in the film "Mississippi Burning."
The president of the Mississipi NAACP, Derrick Johnson, says there is still plenty of discrimination against black voters in the state, and he questions the Bush administration's priorities in bringing this suit.
"We've had several issues over the years of what appeared to be racial discrimination against black voters and the Justice Department has yet to come in and do a thorough investigation," Johnson said. "And for them to take on this case is highly unusual and very suspect."
But others in the civil rights community take a more circumspect attitude in the case against Ike Brown.
"Voting is precious. It's a right that people sacrificed for for years and years," said Leslie Burl McLemore, director of the Fannie Lou Hamer Institute at Jackson State University. "There is a way to encourage participation, and it can be done without having to discriminate against another set of voters."
Racial Divide
Like so many things in Noxubee's Macon community, opinions about the case divide along racial lines. Residents opined at Geneva's Kitchen, a local restaurant, over soul food and sweet tea.
"I think Ike's a pretty good man," local resident Alonzo Phillips told ABC News.
"I guess he do target, you know, the Republicans, and they are white. Most of them," said Geneva, the restaurant's owner.
On Main Street, whites express a different sentiments: "I think Ike Brown is a racist," said a white man.
"I think we're getting a little dose of our ancestors' medicine, if you want to know the truth," said another.
Those ghosts from civil rights battles past have never left Noxubee County, and they continue to influence the way the case against Ike Brown is viewed. But guilty or innocent, the Justice Department wants this case to be about Ike Brown, not the state's historical disenfranchisement of black voters.
indeed, very interesting.
If you think post #2 was interesting....
"Reconstruction rerun."
Second reconstruction?
"Can you imagine this case being brought by the Clinton Justice Dept?"
No, I can't, because it wouldn't happen.
"We may need Alito's vote sooner than we know."
We need Alito's vote...period!
I was watching the local news last Thursday. They had a segment on what they call "Secret Santa".
Local pastors give the names of needy individuals in their churches and this charity sends them an invitation to come to a local school and receive gifts that have been donated by local individuals.
The newscaster was interviewing a couple of the kids as they were leaving the school hall after getting their presents. He wanted to know how it felt to get these gifts.
The first child said it's great and he was very grateful to the people who had donated their time and money so he and his sister could have presents to open on Christmas day.
The second child said, and this is a direct quote, " it sucks because there wasn't an Ipod in my bag of gifts. I was told there would be Ipods for us."
He not only wanted but felt he was entitled to a friggin Ipod.
The second child will be a credit to all....NOT.
Liberals wear suits, and ride in limosines..have cottages on the Cape, winter in Palm Beach, go windsurfing, and claim to have been in Cambodia..,
Al Quiada, on the other hand, wear turbans, chop off the heads of infidels and yell "yiyiyiyiyiyi" a lot.
Other than that, there's very little difference.
"Folks on the left and right coasts and Northeast haven't got a clue about with what we in flyover country deal with on a daily basis."
Being a (I hate to say this) left-coaster, I have to say that some of us do.
BTW, I was dragged out here kickin' and screamin'. ;o)
Well, with the black churches an arm of the DNC, I'd call it even then.
"Equal POWER TO THE PALE PEOPLE!"
"Paleface" is Pi$$ed! ;-)
LLS
Uh...no, he doesn't have to "consider." Whites are a minority. Shrinking? Not as long as welfare mamas keep getting taxpayer furnished subsidies. You get what you pay for.
I have three words of advice for anyone tempted to listen to Mr. Brown: Remember New Orleans.
From general experience, I'm betting this story is the tip of the iceberg.
Welcome to FreeRepublic. We need the young thoughts here...
Ike Brown and Dr. William Truly are two of the biggest racists I have ever met.
TAW
"We support the black candidates because we're sure they're going to vote in the liberal interest," Brown said.
Which means more entitlements. I still think that only people who pay taxes should be allowed to vote. That keeps people living off our taxes from voting themselves a larger share.""
I support your thought 1000 %.
As time goes by, I find myself thinking the same more and more.
The Balkanization of our society is well underway, that's apparant. Divide and conquer, anyone?
Maybe all those Y2K scaremongers had the right idea for the wrong reason.
Watch for Desoto County, MS to go blue next time around. Memphis Mayor, Willie Herenton, is chasing his own right out of town. And they are crossing the stateline in droves. Desoto County was surrounded on three sides by blue counties in 2004. Things are about to get interesting.
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