Congress votes to reduce the Crack/Powder sentencing disparity but the fight is not finished...

On Wednesday, July 28, 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, by a unanimous voice vote, S. 1789, the Fair Sentencing Act of 2009 which would reduce the mandatory minimum sentence for a federal conviction of crack cocaine possession from 100 times that of people convicted of carrying the drug in powdered form to 18 times the sentence. This compromise legislation passed the United States Senate late in the evening of Wednesday, March 17, 2010, by unanimous consent (without a recorded vote); it will now go to President Obama for his signature.

While the NAACP supports this legislation as an important first step toward completely eliminating this racially discriminatory sentencing disparity, we will continue to push for complete elimination of the disparities between crack and powder cocaine sentencing.

Everyone seems to agree that crack cocaine use is higher among Caucasians than any other group: most authorities estimate that more than 66% of those who use crack cocaine are white. Yet in 2006, 82% of those convicted and sentenced under federal crack cocaine laws were African American. When you add in Hispanics, the percentage climbs to above 96%. Since enactment of this law, over 23 years ago, the 100 to 1 ratio has had a devastating and disproportionate impact on the African American and Hispanic communities. Because of the mandatory minimum jail sentence for those convicted of possession of 5 grams of crack cocaine or more, people of color are being put in prisons at much higher rates than their Caucasian counterparts, and the judges have no discretion to mitigate the sentence for first-time or nonviolent offenders or special circumstances.

While drug use rates are similar among all racial groups, African American drug offenders have a twenty percent greater likelihood of receiving a prison sentence than their white counterparts and African Americans now serve virtually as much time in prison for drug offenses as whites serve for violent offenses.
~ Stanford Law School Report

It is estimated that if passed as written, the legislation reducing the sentencing disparity from 100:1 to 18:1 will result in 4,000 fewer Americans being in jail in 10 years.

President Obama is expected to sign the legislation, having expressed opposition to disparity in the past.

Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) hailed the law. "Although the majority of crack offenders are white, 80 percent of convictions fall on the shoulders of African Americans. A law that reflects such a high degree of discriminatory application needs to be fixed," he said after the vote. "This is not to say the crack cocaine is not harmful and destructive in our neighborhoods and communities. It is, and S. 1789 includes increased criminal penalties for serious drug offenders. Furthermore, this legislation does not sacrifice our law enforcement capability; it simply recalibrates the exaggerated sentencing guideline to better reflect the relative harmfulness of crack and powder cocaine."

Other members of the Congressional Black Caucus said that it was a step in the right direction, but that more needs to be done. "I would have hoped that it would have gone further. But we'll take this for the moment. I mean it's movement. We're headed in the right direction," said Rep. Artur Davis (D-Ala.).

"We always know that we have work to do," said Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.), "but the fact is that we have done something now that we never have been able to achieve before -- to close that disparity gap, which is really important to all our communities... This is a big deal."

This is a huge victory for the NAACP; as an elimination of the sentencing disparity has been a priority for us for a long time. In addition to working independently and in coalition in favor of eliminating this particular mandatory minimum sentence, the NAACP has testified before Congress and the U.S. Sentencing Commission on this issue on many occasions. And we will continue to work on this issue until the sentencing disparity has been completely eliminated.

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It's Primary Election Time: Advance Voting is now open!

It's Primary Election time and there are several options available if you plan to get out and vote.

Advance Voting:
Early voting has already started! If you would like to beat the lines by voting early, you may take advantage of advance voting by visiting the Election Office at 510 N. Main Suite 101, July 21 through August 2 between Noon and 4PM.

Additional advance voting sites will become available on Thursday and any person wishing to advance vote may do so at any of the below listed sites on July 29 and 30 from Noon to 7:00 PM or July 31 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Bel Aire City Building, 7651 E Central Park Ave
Center for Health and Wellness, 2707 E. 21st St. N.
Church of the Holy Spirit, 18218 W. Highway 54, Goddard
First United Methodist Church, 560 N. Park, Valley Center
Grace Presbyterian Church, 5002 E Douglas Ave
Haysville Activity Center, 7106 S. Broadway, Haysville
Independent Living Resource Center, 3033 W. 2nd St. N.
Machinist Building, 3830 S Meridian - Saturday April 4: 1:00PM to 4:00PM only
Maranatha Worship Center, 888 S Webb Rd
Reformation Lutheran Church Parish Hall, 7601 E 13th St N
Sedgwick County Zoo Cargill Learning Center, 5555 Zoo Blvd
Sharon Baptist Church, 2221 S Oliver
St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 2555 Hyacinth Lane
Westlink Church of Christ, 10025 W Central Ave
Woodlawn United Methodist Church, 431 S Woodlawn Blvd, Derby


Advance Voting by Mail:
You may also complete an Advance Voting Application and mail or fax it to the Election Office. Advance Voting Applications are also available at the Elections Office and Sedgwick County Dillons Stores. The completed ballot must be returned to the Election Office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Voting on Election Day:
As always, you may still vote at your assigned polling place on Election day. Click here to find your assigned polling location, check your voter card, or call the Elections Office.  Polling locations are open for voting on Election Day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Both machine voting and paper ballot voting options are available.

Voter Registration: 
If you still need to Register to vote, please take advantage of Kansas's new Electronic Voter Registration system. Kansas is one of only a handful of States in the Nation that allows for electronic signatures and totally online registrations so it is now faster and more convenient than ever to get registered! At this point it's too late to register and vote in the primaries, but the General Elections will be here before you know it, so if you are still unregistered - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO VOTE.

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Black, Brown, and Beyond...

Last night, the Wichita NAACP and Sunflower Community Action hosted a forum to discuss commonalities between racial and cultural lines. The purpose of the event was to gain a better understanding and sense of community particularly between black and brown communities. There are many issues that face both communities for example, gang violence, discrimination and unsafe neighborhoods just to name a few. The goal was show that if we have a better understanding of one another then we can start to break down the barriers that keep us from moving forward together to address these issues.

I spoke to the mostly Latino and African American audience about how race and racism are used as mechanisms of control. I talked about how we are all manipulated by a system designed to ensure that the wealthy and powerful are able to safeguard their wealth and influence. While laws are being rewritten, banks are being bailed out, homes are being foreclosed, jobs are being lost, prisons are being filled, schools are being underfunded, history is being altered, promised reforms are being gutted, and the rich are getting richer, we the people are being fed a steady stream of divisiveness and distractions.

The situation is best summarized by perhaps my favorite quote from Chris Palahniuk who said,

"Old George Orwell got it backward. Big Brother isn't watching. He's singing and dancing. He's pulling rabbits out of a hat. Big Brother's busy holding your attention every moment you're awake. He's making sure you're always distracted. He's making sure you're fully absorbed.

He's making sure your imagination withers. Until it's as useful as your appendix. He's making sure your attention is always filled.

And this being fed, it's worse than being watched. With the world always filling you, no one has to worry about what's in your mind. With everyone's imagination atrophied, no one will ever be a threat to the world."

Last night’s meeting was the first in a three part series to unite communities of color and to make it clear that we are all in this together. Stay tuned for more information on the next two sessions...

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Real Stories: Child Welfare

This is the first in our new series of "Real Stories". These are actual cases, sent to us by real complainants, with specific requests for publicity. In all cases, the names will be redacted, but the cases will be evaluated and processed, and updates will appear here on the blog as they occur...

Hello. I want my story if at all possible and maybe someone will hear me out on how much love I have for my children and I hope you are the one that will get this posted for me in the paper. So here is my story...

My name is XXXXXX XXXXXXXX and I am from Wichita, Kansas. I have 2 boys that have was taken from me by the state back in 1999 due to me oversleeping when my oldest got outside by himself. The boys now are 14 and 12 years of age. With me fighting for almost 2 years I lost my rights to my children due to not following directions, having a bad attitude, and having a job as an dancer at the time. The courts found me "indeemed unfit", never found me guilty of abuse or neglect. 11 years has passed and I have changed my life around completely I am not a dancer, my whole attitude has changed, I go to church, I am working at the hospitals here in Wichita has a PCT and going to school full time to get my RN degree. My oldest son has found me on facebook and contacted me wanting to come home with me has stated he has been treated badly in the foster homes and has switched from foster home to foster home because he cant get along with anyone. He is having these behaviors because he feels unwanted and not loved and he knows his mother loves him and he wants to come home. He has no stability in his life and never know what is going to happen next. This is why he is having all his behaviors. I have contacted Youthville and told them that I want to seek out on getting my children back and I had to do a few things to get them back. I did as they told me to do and they are still making excuses for me not to get my children back into my life and its not right. I did a clincial assessment for them and it showed that I should be an accepted adoptive resource to get my children back. There should not be any reason why I cant get them back and still they are trying to make up excuses why I cant have them back. It makes me think that they do not care about my children all they care about is making money off my children. Its not right at all. Both boys want to come home and they should be able to come home to there mother because I can give them stablility and real love that they have been craving for so many years that they was getting it. 

Please help me get my story out there please. 


XXXXXXX   XXXXXXXXX

Ma'am, you will be contacted by our Legal Redress team shortly...

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The Wichita Voter Empowerment Coalition to host a Primary Election Candidates Forum this Sunday!

Come out and hear from the Candidates seeking to represent you. Candidates running for Local, State, and National Offices have been invited.

A question and answer session will be held immediately following the Candidate's platform presentations.

What: Primary Election Candidate's Forum
When: Sunday July 25th, from 4:00-6:00pm
Where: Tabernacle Bible Church (1817 N Volutsia)

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...on the Tea Party Resolution

In August of 2000, a former President of the Dallas Branch of the NAACP, Lee Alcorn, made bigoted and anti-semitic comments about then Vice-Presidential nominee Joseph Liberman. Upon learning of the comments, the NAACP's National Office immediately took action issuing a clear and unambiguous statement repudiating the comments, removing Mr. Alcorn from office, and immediately suspending his membership in the Association. Our then National President Kweisi Mfume described the comments in a public statement by stating that "I find them to be repulsive, anti-Semitic, anti-NAACP and anti-American. Mr. Alcorn does not speak for the NAACP, its board, its staff or its membership." The response was so swift and so unqualified that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) followed by issuing its own public statement praising the NAACP's handling of the situation.

I was in attendance at the NAACP's National Convention last week. I was a voting delegate on the floor of the convention and proudly voted along with 2,000 of my colleagues from around the country in favor of the resolution calling upon the Tea Party to speak out and condemn racist signs and acts within its ranks. I also had the privilege of attending the NAACP's National Board meeting where they also voted unanimously to state its position for the record also calling upon the Tea Party Movement to repudiate racism within its ranks.

Neither the resolution, nor the Board's stated position identified the Tea Party as a Racist movement. And for the record, it is not. The Tea Party Movement is a coalition of generally conservative people who are actively protesting policies and positions of the Government and Administration as is their right. As a great believer in the power of argument AND the power of protest, and as a leader in a historic institution built on the foundations of both, I fully support their right to do so unabridged, because in protecting their rights I protect my own. It should also be noted that there are a number of persons of various political stripes who are both active in the Tea Party Movement AND are members of the NAACP. I have a number of very dear friends who are quite active in the Tea Party movement, and while we may disagree politically, I would state unequivocally and for the record that among them are any number of wonderful folks who I greatly admire and deeply respect. Our disagreements do not make us enemies, and I would not sign on to or support any statement or resolution that called their character into question.

But that said, the question here is not whether the Tea Party Movement is racist, but rather, what is the Tea Party's responsibility in dealing with expressions of Racism from self identified members of their movement? By thus far refusing to acknowledge or repudiate expressions of racism from within their ranks, the Tea Party's notoriety and media access has made it an effective conduit through which these bigoted and and intolerant sentiments are publicly legitimized and even commercialized. By not acknowledging and not responding to these statements, the Tea Party has afforded the blanket defense of a "legitimate political protest" to even the most grotesque expressions of bigotry. And THAT is what this resolution is about... It is not our intent to offer blanket condemnations or to fight a media war against the Tea Party, but we, as the Nation's oldest and largest Civil Rights Organization, can not sit idly by as racial intolerance becomes commercialized.

We are calling upon you to 'close the door' and not let groups like Stormfront or others use your movement as a platform through which to propagandize their message of race prejudice and xenophobic nationalism.

On our watch, we are increasingly seeing talk radio hosts and television pundits exploiting a rising tide of racial animus to gain market share. On our watch, we have now seen sitting Congressmen demeaned by racial and sexual epithets. On our watch, we have seen photos of the White House lawn covered with watermelons, depictions of the President as a monkey, a pimp, a beggar, as uncle Ben, and a terrorist. We've heard the POTUS referred to as a racist, a Muslim, an Arab, a Kenyan, an African, a foreigner, a magic Negro, and a man-child. We've even seen pictures of the FLOTUS as a primate. Here is a VIDEO of a vendor selling "Yup, I'm a Racist" t-shirts at a tea party event in Kentucky.

The pace is quickening and the lines of decency are being blurred.

Even in response to the NAACP's resolution, Mark Williams, a spokesperson for the Tea Party Express, responded by posting a racist and inflammatory "Letter to Lincoln" on his blog essentially stating that Black folks were lazy, don't want to work, want others to take care of us, and want to put "wide screen TV's in every room" at someone else's expense. And as evidence of the growing commercialization of unchecked intolerance, venerable news organization CNN chose to describe the letter as merely "satirical". [Note: Mark Williams has since taken the letter down but a copy of it can still be found HERE on Roland Martin's Blog].

These are the very images, insults, attacks, and distortions that the NAACP has fought against since DW Griffith's release of Birth of a Nation. We have stood for more than 100 years against the forces of intolerance and racial hatred, and so we MUST speak out today.

It's gut check time. We are declaring our principles. And we call on you to do the same. I will go on record as stating that I do not believe the Tea Party is a racist movement, and I ask, as we did at the convention, that YOU join us in saying so...

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Kansas State and Wichita Branch President Kevin Myles to run for NAACP Board of Directors at next week's National Convention

On July 13th, at the 101st NAACP National Convention, I plan to run for the at large seat to the NAACP National  Board of Directors. As a committed NAACP Volunteer, I look forward to the opportunity to be of greater service to our association. As a "Field" activist, Branch President, and State Conference President, I look forward to the opportunity to amplify the voices and concerns of the units and volunteers who make up the association, as we also look for creative ways to refine and enhance our efforts through effective board governance. But moreover, as someone with a serious and abiding interest in the uplift of our community, my primary interest lies in doing all I can to help position the NAACP, one of our most enduring institutions, to deal with the new challenges we face as we enter this second century of civil rights.

We are faced now, not only with a resurgence, but truly a renaissance of xenophobic racialistic attitudes. The Supreme Court has been busy altering or stripping away rights and protections we've long taken for granted; several states are suing the Federal Government for the 'right' to not address a broken and inequitable health care system that leaves millions without coverage; other States like Arizona are creating new laws to target illegal immigration by profiling Hispanics; real estate and construction titans such as JMI Realty, Harlan Crow of Crow Realty, the Bradley Foundation, John Uhlmann of Jabez Territories, and John Zamrzla of the Western Pacific Roofing corporation are helping to finance a nationwide effort to eliminate affirmative action with Ward Connerly serving as the well-funded figure-head; television pundits are planning to hold their own "March on Washington" on the anniversary of King's address declaring their intent to "take back Civil Rights"; and as local papers across the country rush to offer web versions, many have seen their online comment sections become repositories of vile and hateful rhetoric.

We've always known that the work of the Association wasn't finished. But now, the reservoirs of race prejudice and bigotry have found new voice with the proliferation of electronic and personal media. Intolerance has been commercialized, and the Nation's oldest and largest Civil Rights organization must position itself to meet these new challenges. But with these new challenges, there are also new opportunities. Through the use of E-Journalism and Social media, we each now have the capacity to reach audiences like never before. It is imperative that we examine how this new capacity can be put to use for the furtherance of our message and mission.

Now I don't claim to have all the answers or to have the solutions to all that ails us... I'm just another soldier, standing on the shoulders of all those who came before me. But I am asking for your support because I come to the table with a skill-set that I believe will benefit the association and aid in our efforts to bring about a fair and just society, based on level playing fields, and free from the effects of race prejudice and discrimination. I come to the table with experience as a Branch and State Conference President, experience with management in the Public and Private Sectors, experience with Youth Development, experience with new media and E-activism, and experience with Board Governance.  I am asking for your support because I represent a new generation, well-trained and prepared, for the second century in civil rights. I am ready and willing to do my part, and I ask you for your vote.

  

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Statement from the NAACP LDF on Senate attacks on Thurgood Marshall

(Washington, DC) – During the Senate confirmation hearings of Elena Kagan to be Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, several Senators have disparaged Justice Thurgood Marshall, his judicial philosophy, and his connection to Elena Kagan, who once clerked for Justice Marshall. In response to these attacks, NAACP LDF President and Director-Counsel John Payton issues the following statement:

“Thurgood Marshall changed our country dramatically for the better. Astonishingly, Elena Kagan is being attacked by certain members of the Senate Judiciary Committee because she says her mentor was Thurgood Marshall. She could not have had a better mentor.

Here is what is undisputed: In the middle decades of the twentieth century, Thurgood Marshall was a leader of those forces whose faith in the Constitution and the American Dream dismantled the perverse empire of Jim Crow – with its separate and unequal schools and colleges, its rigidly segregated neighborhoods, and its profoundly unequal opportunity in every sector of American life. As the founder of LDF, Thurgood Marshall helped America understand what democracy really means; and he continued to expound that exalted vision as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

It is a disservice to the Senate and to the nation to have some, for the sake of hollow posturing, distort Thurgood Marshall’s beliefs and his extraordinary contribution to our understanding of justice and equality. Simply put, Thurgood Marshall helped make our union more perfect, and that legacy illuminates the highest possibilities for all Americans yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

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First Lady Michelle Obama to address the NAACP at the 101st Convention in Kansas City

First Lady Michelle Obama will address the NAACP’s 101st Annual Convention on Monday, July 12, 2010 to discuss steps to combat childhood obesity and her efforts to create a healthier generation of kids through the Let’s Move! campaign.

“It is my honor to welcome First Lady Michelle Obama to our annual convention to discuss her views on ways to tackle an epidemic that is plaguing our nation’s young people,” said NAACP Chairman Roslyn M. Brock. “She is a commanding figure who will ensure that this issue is at the forefront of our nation’s health agenda.”

“We are elated to have First Lady Michele Obama joining us to celebrate our 101st year,” said NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous. “Providing affordable health care coverage and ensuring the well-being of all Americans is a priority for both the NAACP and the Obama Administration. Michele Obama’s visionary leadership in confronting the problem of child hood obesity is to be applauded. At our convention, we will unveil health care and advocacy solutions to help solve the critical health problems that are plaguing our communities,” said Jealous. “The First Lady’s contributions to that important discussion will be invaluable in realizing our vision of an America that ensures that all people have the tools needed to live a healthy life.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to have the First Lady address our convention,” said NAACP Vice Chairman Leon W. Russell. “She was invited to discuss childhood obesity, an issue of importance to our members, and we are pleased she accepted our invitation.”

Widely labeled as a national epidemic, increasing childhood obesity rates have been a problem for decades but efforts to address the issue has been insufficient. In a commitment to tackle this issue, the President established a Task Force on Childhood Obesity to develop an action plan to solve the problem of obesity among the nation's children within a generation, and the Administration has undertaken a comprehensive campaign led by the First Lady.

Strategies resulting from the task force report include updating child nutrition policies by utilizing the best available scientific information, ensuring access to healthy, affordable food in schools and communities, increasing physical activity and empowering parents and caregivers with the information and tools they need to make good choices for themselves and their families.

The recently launched Let’s Move! campaign aims to bring together community leaders, teachers, doctors, nurses, and parents in a national effort to tackle childhood obesity. Let’s Move! will push for healthier food in schools, encourage children to be more physically active, and help make healthy, affordable food available in every part of the nation.

“As the host city for this year’s convention it is exciting to have the First Lady attend our annual convention,” said NAACP Kansas City Branch President Anita L. Russell. “The First Lady’s presence will benefit the convention as well as Kansas City as a whole.”

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