The South-Central Legislative Delegation holding a public forum Saturday at WSU

This Saturday at 9:00am, the South Central Legislative Delegation of the Kansas Legislature will hold a public forum in the Suderman Room of the Wichita State University Metroplex on the corner of 29th and Oliver. This is your opportunity to speak out and be heard by our State Legislators. Please, come out and join us as we call upon our Representatives to reject the onerous Kansas "Health Care Freedom" Amendment.

We will also be calling on our Legislators to adequately fund education here in the State - with a 1 cent sales tax if necessary. It is simply unconscionable that we would be faced with dramatic cuts to education, public safety, and basic services; not because it is genuinely unavoidable, but rather because our Legislature is wedded to a simplistic dogma that says that "all taxes are bad" so they refuse to take the necessary steps even in the face of a massive $500,000,000.00 shortfall. They are attempting to address our economic woes using a 'Holistic' approach; one that somehow presumes to solve a multi-million dollar budgetary shortfall without the use of money.

Now this is the point when some would cite the adage, "you don't raise taxes in a recession, blah blah shoobedoo". Spare me... An economy of this scale is infinitely more complex than the simple wisdom gleaned from the preface of an Econ 101 textbook or some crazy tele-pundit's chalkboard. If the "cuts create growth" mantra were anything more than a basic theory (false as often as true), then the tax cuts of 2003 should have mitigated our Iraqi military expenditures and forestalled the recession. BUT I DIGRESS...

We also offer our Public support to the following pieces of legislation:

(We support) H2533 – Kansas Act against Discrimination; this bill changes the language regarding disabilities, making it clearer and more concise.

(We support) H2628 – Directs the Boards of Education in each district to implement policies prohibiting bullying.

(We support) H2629 – Allows that whenever a child is taken into temporary custody, the parents should be allowed to submit the names of three people whom they would like to be considered for the granting of custody.

(We support) H5003 – A proposed Constitutional Amendment declaring the equal rights of Men and Women.

(We support) S0018 – Prohibits the deprivation of Rights under the color of law and establishes such deprivation as a Felony Offense.

(We support) S0054 – Would commission a mural depicting Brown Vs the Board of Education, be placed within the Capital building. The bill states that no public funds can be used for the creation or installation of the mural

(We support) S0109 – Amends the Grandparents as Caregivers Act and removes the age limit.

(We support) S0169 – Adds Sexual Orientation and Gender identity to the Kansas Act against Discrimination.

(We support***) S0179 – The Racial Profiling Bill, contains new definitions of Racial Profiling more consistent with the legislations original intent. We support the bill BUT we oppose the Racial Profiling Task Force’s recommendation for a moratorium.

(We support) S0191 – Requires that any new electronic voting machines also provide an auditable paper trail.

(We support) S0125 – Amends the Grandparents as Caregivers Act to strike the requirement for legal guardianship.

(We support) S0511 – Would create a Small and Disadvantaged Business program that would establish minority participation ‘goals’ for State contracts.

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Ward Connerly and Tim Asher withdraw their latest challenge to Equal Opportunity in Missouri in the face of an ACLU Lawsuit

Proposed Ballot Initiative Withdrawn In Face Of ACLU Lawsuit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Faced with an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit, a political operative who has failed twice before to place an anti-affirmative action initiative on the Missouri ballot has abandoned his latest attempt to rewrite the state constitution to ban equal opportunity programs.

Timothy Asher, head of the Missouri Civil Rights Initiative, which has led two unsuccessful efforts in the past two years to place before state voters an unconstitutional ballot initiative that would have rolled back an array of affirmative action programs, officially requested last week to withdraw his third attempt to qualify his initiative for the ballot. The ACLU, the ACLU of Eastern Missouri and the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri filed a lawsuit in August charging that Asher's latest proposed initiative sought to trick and defraud Missouri voters.

"This is a huge victory that will protect programs intended to ensure that women and racial and ethnic minorities are given an equal opportunity to compete," said Reginald T. Shuford, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Racial Justice Program. "Essential programs, including data collection requirements that help the government identify racial, ethnic and gender discrimination, will now remain in place."

All of Asher's proposed initiatives would have changed the Missouri Constitution by effectively decimating many equal opportunity programs, leading to the erosion of the participation of women and racial and ethnic minorities in public education, state contracting and employment.

"The state of Missouri has a constitutional obligation to ensure that no one is denied opportunity because of unfair and unjust discrimination," said Stephen Douglas Bonney, legal director for the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri. "America is the land of equal opportunity and these proposed initiatives flew in the face of some of our most cherished ideals."

Missouri was one of three states – along with Arizona and Oklahoma – in which efforts to qualify anti-equal opportunity initiatives for the ballot during the 2008 election cycle failed. A similar measure made it on the ballot in Colorado but was rejected by voters. Asher spearheaded the effort in Missouri, working as part of a largely unsuccessful national campaign targeting several states led by millionaire Californian Ward Connerly.

Asher submitted a second proposed initiative at the end of 2008, and the ACLU responded by filing a lawsuit charging that it was unconstitutional and fraudulent. In June 2009, a Missouri circuit court judge struck down the initiative, ruling that it didn't comply with state law.

After Asher submitted his third proposed ballot initiative in July 2009, the ACLU filed a lawsuit challenging it, charging that the initiative would confuse voters by unconstitutionally forcing them to vote on multiple issues in a single proposition and that the ballot summary certified by the secretary of state contained language that was unfair and misleading, in violation of Missouri law. The ACLU lawsuit also charged that Missouri's auditor failed to adequately assess the proposed initiative's fiscal impact.

Other attorneys on the case include Anthony E. Rothert of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri and ACLU cooperating attorney Arlene Zarembka of St. Louis.

• A copy of Asher's letter seeking withdrawal of his proposed initiative, and Secretary of State Robin Carnahan's approval, is available online at: www.aclu.org/racial-justice/jones-et-al-v-carnahan-et-al-asher-letter-requesting-withdrawal
• A copy of the ACLU's most recent lawsuit is available online at: www.aclu.org/racial-justice/jones-et-al-v-carnahan-et-al-petition-declaratory-judgment-and-permanent-injunction
• Additional information about equal opportunity is available online at: www.aclu.org/racialjustice/aa
• Additional information about the ACLU of Eastern Missouri is available online at: www.aclu-em.org
• Additional information about the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri is available at: www.aclukswmo.org

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Full Text of our remarks at the 02-24-10 press conference opposing the Kansas "Healthcare Freedom" Amendment

Good Afternoon everyone,

Thank you for joining us this afternoon as we detail our opposition to the proposed Kansas “Healthcare Freedom” Amendment. But let us begin with a brief introduction; my name is Kevin Myles and I am the President of the Kansas State Conference of the NAACP. The Kansas State Conference is the State Level unit of the Association and its membership is comprised of all of the local branches throughout the State.

We’re pleased to be joined today by Representative Melody McCray Miller, Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus and several members of the State House of Representatives, Mr. Chester Daniels, President and CEO of the Urban League of Kansas, Ms. Janice Bradley of the Peace and Social Justice Center, as well as representatives from many of the NAACP Branches from around the State, and we are all united in our opposition to the Kansas “Healthcare Freedom” Amendment (KHCFA).

The KHCFA was introduced on Tuesday, February 2nd, by Representatives Landweir and Mast, and Senator Pilcher-Cook. We stand in opposition to this proposed amendment because despite its name, the KHCFA is not a bill that would guarantee “freedom” in Healthcare or provide choices and/or options for consumers. Rather, the KHCFA is in fact a measure specifically designed to block Federal Healthcare reform efforts from being implemented here in Kansas. Using deceptively simple language, it seeks to thwart the implementation of Federal Healthcare Reform efforts through prohibiting the mechanisms through which healthcare reforms would be funded.

There are three funding mechanisms available for expanding coverage to the uninsured and those with pre-existing conditions while driving down costs to make healthcare affordable and accessible: (1) Expanding the pool by having everyone purchase coverage. (2) Implementing some form of public plan or single payer plan such as Medicare for all. (3) Offset costs by raising taxes.

Section 1, part 1 is designed to prohibit any form of direct or indirect mandate which the drafters of this legislation fully understand is necessary if we are ever to cover those with pre-existing conditions. The only way we can provide quality and affordable coverage for all (including those with pre-existing conditions) is if we all share the risks. Section 1 prohibits the only funding mechanism that could provide such coverage outside of a single payer system. Section 1, part 2 prohibits the formation of a public or single payer system. And the legislators who introduced this bill know that Option #3 – Offsetting costs by raising taxes, is not a viable option.

So by outlawing the funding mechanisms available to provide quality and affordable healthcare for all, they effectively block the implementation of reforms and set up an unnecessary constitutional crisis which would then have to be resolved by the courts.

Simply put, the Kansas Healthcare Freedom Amendment does not guarantee freedoms. It denies the residents of the State of Kansas the freedom to engage in an honest and genuine debate about how best to provide healthcare for all, including those with pre-existing conditions.

However, what it does provide is a Constitutional guarantee for the status quo. What it does provide is a guarantee that health insurance companies will be able to CONTINUE discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions. What it does provide is a constitutional plank stating that in Kansas, healthcare is a privilege and not a right. And what these legislators are claiming on behalf of all Kansans is that here in our State, we don't need Health care Reform; our system is totally fine, and we want to keep it just the way it is...

One of the many ironies in that position is that fact that the Kansas Healthcare Freedom amendment wasn’t even written by our legislators here in Kansas. In fact, the proposed amendment was downloaded from the internet. The site the bill actually came from was the American Legislative Exchange Council www.alec.org, which is a conservative website, run by a Washington DC think-tank, with a whole section of “model legislation”. The bill on the site is named the “Freedom of Choice in healthcare Act”.

While we are opposed to the content and intent of the bill, we are equally opposed to the process by which this proposed amendment was foisted upon the residents of the State of Kansas. This bill was not written to address the needs of the residents of Kansas. We expect that our Senators and Representatives will carefully consider the needs of their constituents and draft legislation that will speak specifically to those needs. Our legislators should not scour the internet looking for boutique bills and partisan gimmicks to obstruct the legislative process as we work towards reforming a system that bankrupting the country. This proposed amendment is “Governance by Google” and we as citizens and residents of the State of Kansas deserve more than this.

Especially when there are roughly 300,000 Kansans who do not have health insurance. There are roughly 65,000 small businesses in Kansas that would qualify for tax credits under either the House or Senate bills that would allow them to provide coverage for their employees. There are roughly 44,000 Kansas Seniors who would be able to close the doughnut hole in Medicare Part D, under either the House or Senate bills. And there are roughly 4,100 Kansas Families who declare bankruptcy on an annual basis due to medical bills and medical debts.

In closing, we would like to state emphatically that in opposing the Kansas healthcare freedom amendment, we are not endorsing any specific healthcare reform bill. In fact, that is another of the ironies in this process… There is no actual Federal healthcare reform bill to oppose. There is a House version, and a Senate version, and a draft version released from the Administration, but all of these would have to be worked and caucused in order to come up with a final bill for our consideration. So we are not endorsing any specific bill, but we are standing in support of the legislative and deliberative process – We are opposed to onerous preconditions, legislative obstructionism, and partisan gimmicks -- We are standing in favor of an open and unfettered debate about how best to provide quality and affordable healthcare for all. And we call upon our Senators and Representatives to vote down the proposed “Healthcare Freedom” Amendment.

Thank you for your time, and we will now stand for any questions…

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Madam Chair

Today, we celebrate the election of Roslyn McCallister Brock as Chairman of the National Board of Directors for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Brock, 44, became the youngest ever and fourth woman to serve as Chair of the NAACP’s Board of Directors. A highly qualified candidate, her NAACP resumé boasts more than 25 years of service to the NAACP in many capacities, including as a youth board member, Youth and College State Conference President, board member, and Vice Chair to the Board of Directors. Brock also created the annual NAACP Leadership 500 Summit, and has served as Chair of the Board Convention Planning Committee.

“As the NAACP ushers in a new generation, it is a great honor to be elected Chairman of the Board of this esteemed Association,” said NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “We are blessed with the opportunity to lead the fight for civil and human rights into another century, and I am honored to help the NAACP issue the clarion call while ensuring the future legacy of this great organization.”

“We’re looking at a generational shift in our communities,” continued Brock. “We have a 48 year old President in the White House, an NAACP President who was 35 at the time of his election, and a 44 year old Board Chair. The wisdom of those who stood the test of time got us to this point, and the youth will lead the future success of our movement.”

She officially announced her candidacy last August after her predecessor Julian Bond declared his retirement from the Chairman position. Bond endorsed Brock’s candidacy, citing her experience in many facets of the Association as well as her youth as assets she will bring to the Chair position.

“The time has come for me to step down as Chairman of the Board and I cannot think of a better person to pass the torch to than Roslyn M. Brock. Ms. Brock understands first-hand how important youth are to the success of the NAACP. She was introduced to the NAACP 25 years ago when she served the NAACP as a youth board member and Youth and College Division State Conference President. She represents the next generation of civil rights leaders,” said NAACP Chairman Emeritus Julian Bond.

“I am proud to be standing with Roslyn M. Brock as the new Chairman of the NAACP Board, and I thank Julian Bond for his twelve years of service,” stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “Today we have elected the youngest Chairman in the history of the NAACP. This historic election, at the beginning of our second century marks a generational shift in the civil and human rights movement. Ms. Brock is fierce advocate for social justice, who is squarely focused on addressing the crises of today and winning the victories of tomorrow.”

In addition to her service with the NAACP, Brock serves as Vice President at Bon Secours Health Care in Marriottsville, MD. She is the chief spokesperson for Bon Secours on government relations, advocacy and public policy. Prior to working at Bon Secours, Brock worked 10 years in health programs at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in Battle Creek, Michigan.

She graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Union University; earned a master's degree in health services administration from George Washington University, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Master of Divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Theology at Virginia Union University.

“I have enjoyed my time as Chairman of the Board and the people with whom I have worked with over the past decade. I will continue to treasure this as a singular experience and continue to be active in the NAACP as a member of the National Board of Directors,” concluded Bond.

“There will never be another Julian Bond, and there will never be another Myrlie Evers-Williams. Those of that stature in the civil rights movement have made untold contributions, sacrificed and invested in us, and it is up to us to take it the rest of the way,” concluded Brock. “We need to lead and leave it better than we found it…that’s the huge challenge.”

Today, we turn the page. Today marks the first day of our second century and a new chapter in Civil Rights Advocacy. Today we begin the process of renewal. And we move forward with new leadership and new hope...

God Bless you Madam Chair... (now it's time to 'drive' the car)     :)

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Legislators finally acknowledge the proposed "Kansas Health Care Freedom" Amendment is really an attempt to block Health Care Reform

After weeks of misleading and disingenuous statements to the contrary, Kansas legislators have now offered statements acknowledging that the proposed Kansas "Health Care Freedom" Amendment is really a device intended to block Federal Health Care Reform efforts.

Senator Jim Barnett of Emporia, Chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare committee, today issued a statement which read in part: "The Healthcare Freedom Amendment will help protect the people of Kansas from the disastrous results of the proposed healthcare bill that Washington, DC intends to force upon us." 

That statement contradicts earlier statements by Senator Mary Pilcher-Cook who repeatedly stated to media outlets, that this bill was not about opting out or blocking health care reform. The language is particularly curious when you consider there is still no single reconciled bill being pushed by the Federal Government. The House and Senate bills still need to be reconciled and debated and worked before they reach a single final form for our consideration. But that's no problem; THIS effort and THESE Legislators, don't need an actual "bill" to oppose -- They just oppose the Federal Government and Anything that comes from the Federal Government will be wrong by them.

The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee passed the bill out by voice vote but without a recommendation. It will now head to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

If enacted the Kansas "Health Care Freedom Amendment" would prohibit the subsequent enactment of Federal Health Care reform legislation.

The Kansas State Conference will hold a Press Conference on Wednesday the 24th at 3PM in the Docking State Office Building (915 SW Harrison St., Topeka KS) to discuss our opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment and to lend our support to SB 375 which would abolish the Death Penalty in Kansas and replace it with life in prison.

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NAACP Launches Interactive Multimedia Timeline to Bring the Lessons of History to Life

The NAACP has launched the NAACP Interactive Historical Timeline, a multimedia web site that tells the story of the 101-year-old civil rights organization through words, pictures and video.

The Web site, www.naacphistory.org, was funded through a $500,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon. Resources from the NAACP timeline will also be made available to teachers, students and parents through Verizon Thinkfinity (www.thinkfinity.org), a free educational Web site.

“A look back at the first 100 years of the NAACP’s history shows tremendous progress that has taken place since W.E.B. Du Bois and his co-founders first formed the organization in February 1909,” said Benjamin Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP. “It also shows there is still more work to be done. I encourage everyone to spend a few moments on the NAACP interactive timeline, to look around, explore, discover and learn.”

The timeline provides an easy–to-follow chronological listing of the NAACP’s role in key events in the civil rights movement, education and an array of other topics. Each point on the timeline includes a written narrative, historic video and photos as well as an audio narrative read by a celebrity such as actor, director and producer Laurence Fishburne, actress and singer Tatyana Ali, actress Tichina Arnold, actor Dennis Haysbert, actress and director Nia Long, actress Tracee Ellis Ross, actor Nate Parker, and actress and director Chandra Wilson.

“Using technology to expand educational opportunity for all is a key mission of the Verizon Foundation,” said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston. “We are proud to partner with the NAACP to help bring its important lessons of the past to the students of today in a dynamic, engaging format. And we are happy to add information from the NAACP Timeline to the robust pool of teaching resources available through Verizon Thinkfinity.”

Verizon Thinkfinity is a free educational Web site that contains thousands of engaging resources that make learning fun. Lesson plans, in-class activities and homework help can be found quickly and searched by grade level, keyword or subject.

The Verizon Foundation supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence. In 2009, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $67.5 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $26.1 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation’s largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 5 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.

About the NAACP
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its more than half-million members and supporters throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil and human rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and advocating for equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.


About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to mass market, business, government and wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 91 million customers nationwide. Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers innovative, seamless business solutions to customers around the world. A Dow 30 company, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of approximately 222,900 and last year generated consolidated revenues of more than $107 billion. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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Video: Kansas NAACP President discusses the Anti-Reform measure named the Kansas "Health Care Freedom" Amendment - SCR1626

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National unemployment rate declines while African American unemployment rate increases

The Obama administration was quick to herald a drop in the nation’s unemployment rate last month from 10 percent to 9.7 percent. But everyone is not cheering. The unemployment rate for African Americans actually increased from 16.2 percent to 16.5 percent. The unemployment rate for black men rose from 16.6 percent to 17.6 percent. Nearly 44 percent of black teenagers who were looking for work could not find a job.

Higher education remains the best way to combat unemployment. Less than 5 percent of Americans with a college degree were unemployed in January.

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The NAACP to elect a new National Chairman...

On February 20th, the National Board of Directors of the NAACP will convene in New York City. In that meeting, the members of the board will vote to elect our new National Chairman. Our current Chairman, Julian Bond, will remain on the board, however he is not seeking reelection as Chair.

The candidates for Chair are the President of the Detroit Branch, Reverend Wendell Anthony, and National Vice Chairman, Roslyn Brock. Both choices represent change for the organization. But there is one clear choice.

For 18 years, Reverend Anthony has served as the President of the largest branch in the Association. With an estimated 10,000 members, the Detroit Branch NAACP is a vital part of our National Organization. Reverend Anthony has been a field General and I have the utmost respect for his years of dedicated service to the Association and to our community. But given the tasks at hand; the rapidly changing social and political landscapes, the need for organizational renewal, the advances in technology and the implications for advocacy, the comprehensive policy challenges facing our community such as health care reform, the powerful demographic and generational shifts that are beginning and will continue to impact our organization, and the need for new vision and direction, its time we elect Roslyn Brock Chairman of the Board of Directors for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Roslyn Brock first joined the Board of Directors as a youth member. At 35, she was unanimously elected Vice-Chair of the National Board of Directors. Still in her early 40's, Vice Chair Brock is firmly rooted in the organization and has a firm grasp and deep understanding of the complexities of board governance. She has a great historical and contemporary knowledge and appreciation of the Association. And she appreciates the fact that the Association must adapt with the changing times; maintaining our mission while reviewing our policies, and renewing our methods. In fact, it was noted by Executive Director Emeritus Benjamin Hooks in his glowing endorsement of Vice Chair Brock, that she "led the policy debate to recognize access to healthcare as a Civil Right which resulted in the National Board making the Health Committee a standing committee of the board."

Vice Chair Brock also understands the urgent need for the association to position itself for future growth. In 2005, Vice Chair Brock convened the first annual Leadership 500 summit. The Summit gathered up-and-coming corporate and thought leaders from around the country to talk about the challenges facing our society, and how their talents could be harnessed to further the interests of our Association. With the 6th annual summit now on the horizon, Vice Chair Brock's efforts have identified, educated, and networked more than 2,000 young professionals, activists, and concerned citizens to create a vision and plan for the second century of Civil Rights advocacy.

Vice Chair Brock, who would be the fourth Woman to ever serve as National Chairman, has earned the admiration and endorsement of current Chairman Julian Bond, Chairman Emeritus Myrlie Evers-Williams, and Executive Director Emeritus Rev. Dr. Benjamin Hooks. Her passion and ability is evident. Her work and her commitment to the Association have been exemplary. And her contributions have been substantial and enduring. As a Branch and State Conference President, I am proud to add my humble endorsement. I ask that our Regional representatives to the National Board; Mary Ratliff, Anita Russell, Harold Crumpton, and Rev Keith Ratliff, give their support to Vice Chairman Brock, and that each of you would contact your regional representatives and ask them to do the same...

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