Minority Voter Intimidation and Suppression in America Today Essay

Summary of Paper The Government of the United States is one which exists on the belief that all citizens of the country should have an equal say in the function of the government. In essence, this means all eligible citizens are guaranteed the right to vote and that, according to legislation passed decades ago, it is a crime to hinder ones right to vote. Despite this fundamental property of our democracy, several groups of people have, it seems, been marginalized and intimidated in such a way that their right to vote, as well as their effectiveness in elections, has been diminished. Stemming from conflicts during and following the Civil War, minority voters have consistently had to overcome immense obstacles to exercise the fundamental right, which was assured to them in the Constitution of the United States. Beginning with the use of incredibly violent and straight-foreword means, the suppression of the minority vote has morphed into something that is difficult to combat. Over time, as legislation has been introduced in an attempt to eliminate the intimidation of minorities, the methods utilized to intimidate have been forced to adapt and become stealthier. After the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the federal government was able to enforce keep discriminatory voting practices from going into effect in many states. Still then, the violations continued and the methods for suppressing minority voters only changed. Even today, certain groups are utilizing tactics such as voter legislation and voter marginalization to make minorities feel as if their votes do not count or that it is too difficult to cast a vote. Things such as voter identification laws, misleading informational campaigns, and intimidation are all tactics that have been utilized in the most recent American elections. In order to stop the spread of these tactics and ensure minority voters are guaranteed the rights of every other citizen, action must be taken in a variety of ways. Suppression of the Minority Vote The Government of the United States is one which exists on the belief that all citizens of the country should have an equal say in the function of the government. In essence, this means all eligible citizens are guaranteed the right to vote and that, according to legislation passed decades ago, it is a crime to hinder ones right to vote. Despite this fundamental property ... ...r the ongoing problem. The only real long-term solution proposed would establish some sort of commission for voting equality, which would oversee all elections and electoral legislation, though such a commission would certainly be nearly impossible. Works Cited American Civil Liberties Union, â€Å"Reaffirmation or Requiem for the Voting Rights Act?† CBS News. N.p., 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. . Election Protection. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. . "G.O.P. to Expand 'Ballot Security' It Used in Jersey." New York Times. N.p., 9 Nov. 1981. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. . "Voter Fraud and Voter Intimidation." United States Commission on Civil Rights. N.p., 13 Oct. 2006. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. . "Voter Intimidation and Suppression in America Today." People for the American Way. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. . Minority Voter Intimidation and Suppression in America Today Essay Summary of Paper The Government of the United States is one which exists on the belief that all citizens of the country should have an equal say in the function of the government. In essence, this means all eligible citizens are guaranteed the right to vote and that, according to legislation passed decades ago, it is a crime to hinder ones right to vote. Despite this fundamental property of our democracy, several groups of people have, it seems, been marginalized and intimidated in such a way that their right to vote, as well as their effectiveness in elections, has been diminished. Stemming from conflicts during and following the Civil War, minority voters have consistently had to overcome immense obstacles to exercise the fundamental right, which was assured to them in the Constitution of the United States. Beginning with the use of incredibly violent and straight-foreword means, the suppression of the minority vote has morphed into something that is difficult to combat. Over time, as legislation has been introduced in an attempt to eliminate the intimidation of minorities, the methods utilized to intimidate have been forced to adapt and become stealthier. After the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the federal government was able to enforce keep discriminatory voting practices from going into effect in many states. Still then, the violations continued and the methods for suppressing minority voters only changed. Even today, certain groups are utilizing tactics such as voter legislation and voter marginalization to make minorities feel as if their votes do not count or that it is too difficult to cast a vote. Things such as voter identification laws, misleading informational campaigns, and intimidation are all tactics that have been utilized in the most recent American elections. In order to stop the spread of these tactics and ensure minority voters are guaranteed the rights of every other citizen, action must be taken in a variety of ways. Suppression of the Minority Vote The Government of the United States is one which exists on the belief that all citizens of the country should have an equal say in the function of the government. In essence, this means all eligible citizens are guaranteed the right to vote and that, according to legislation passed decades ago, it is a crime to hinder ones right to vote. Despite this fundamental property ... ...r the ongoing problem. The only real long-term solution proposed would establish some sort of commission for voting equality, which would oversee all elections and electoral legislation, though such a commission would certainly be nearly impossible. Works Cited American Civil Liberties Union, â€Å"Reaffirmation or Requiem for the Voting Rights Act?† CBS News. N.p., 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. . Election Protection. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. . "G.O.P. to Expand 'Ballot Security' It Used in Jersey." New York Times. N.p., 9 Nov. 1981. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. . "Voter Fraud and Voter Intimidation." United States Commission on Civil Rights. N.p., 13 Oct. 2006. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. . "Voter Intimidation and Suppression in America Today." People for the American Way. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2014. .