Voter ID Protest
A protest set for Tuesday afternoon is to include remarks from a top NAACP official who recently tangled with Bill O'Reilly.
Voter ID Protest
John Baer, Daily News Political Columnist
A voter ID protest scheduled at the state Capitol Tuesday afternoon is likely to bring lots of heat to the already boiling issues surrounding Pennsylvania's new law requiring photo IDs be shown in order to vote.
For one thing, the thousand or so "Rally for Justice" participants are to gather on the main steps of the Capitol building starting at 1 p.m. when the temperatures are projected in the 90's.
For another, the keynote speaker is Hilary Shelton, senior NAACP vice president for advocacy and policy, who recently tangled with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly on the issue of race and Republicans.
Today's protest, sponsored by the Pennsylvania NAACP, almost certainly will fire up racial themes since many charge the voter ID is a GOP plan to surpress African-American votes in a year the nation's first African-American president seeks reelection.
Shelton and O'Reilly got into the whole Republican/race thing recently after GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney appeared at the NAACP convention in Houston.
O'Reilly pressed hard on the assertion by some Democrats that Romney made the appearance knowing he'd be booed (as he was, especially on his promise to repeal "Obamacare") in order to appeal to white voters who don't like blacks.
You can see interview here. At 7:30 in O'Reilly asks Shelton if he thinks Romney did the NAACP convention to "gin up" racist votes. Shelton answers that he can't say `yes' but adds, "I can't dismiss it."
I'm betting nobody at today's rally will be dismissing the charge that black voter supression is behind the state's new law, especially since the Civil Rights Division of U.S. Justice Department is now investigating -- just as the law heads into Commonwealth Court (Wednesday) where it's being challenged on constitutional grounds.
So fire up you're talking points. It's gonna be a hot one. In more ways than one.
Funny how the NAACP (And other race-baiting groups) ignores the violence gripping the black community in Philadelphia but instead chooses to fight a law designed to help protect every citizen's vote. Its a shame such groups still exist. Their sole purpose seems to be division rather than unity. But then again that fits in well with the agenda of Obama and the Democrats.— psyrus- So one can conclude, according to you, that what Mike Turzai said in Harrisburg to other Republicans, was not the true purpose of the voter ID law. That Mike was lying. — CommonSense in Philly
- Yep Even Iowan's are aware of that Mike Turzai announced publicly where it was recorded on video. Please explain his statement Voter ID backers! It's obvious! He is actively participating in rigging the election in favor of the Republican party. It's sad that the Republican party is willing to stoop to this level. All the money in the world can't buy the Republican party a shread of CLASS or HONOR. God is watching. He see through the lies and deception of the Republican party. — mia2821
- Actually, Republicans HAVE TO stoop to a low level to win. They can't win an election on merit. so they lie, deceive, cheat, smear, suppress, and steal elections. And their non-thinking automatons believe what "the party" and the "Dear Leader" tells them as the gospel truth. So, similar to North Korea. — CommonSense in Philly
- "God is watching. He see through the lies and deception of the Republican party." --- If god does exist, he also see through the half-truths, lies and spin from the Democrats. — psyrus
- Eh, Psyrus. Why are you ignoring my question on Mike Turzai? Was he lying or telling the truth about the REAL nature of the Voter ID law? I say he was telling the truth, hence the protests. — CommonSense in Philly
Comment removed.- neoconcancer-
If you had read the gospels, you would know that Jesus was NOT poor. Neither did he follow after man or held them in high esteem. He knew man's heart, that it was continously evil. Nevertheless, He chose to die for mankind. At our expense, we owed a debt we could not pay. He paid the debt by His sinless life. Providing a way of escape for all who call upon Him for salvation.
While man continues to be evil (republicans and democrats, liberals and conservatives). God in His mercy has provided through His Son. An inheritance of riches this world does not know of. People everywhere can worship the golden calf if they chose to. Yes, it can become their god. But for those who choose the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. They can escape the temptation to worship money and power. We must all pray for Obama as well as Romney not to fall into that trap.— FocusTruthFully - Take the energy spent whining and protesting and use it to get the mythical people who "can't get an ID" an ID... problem solved.
But liberals prefer to whine rather than solve...— ObamaSolyndra - Comment removed.
- This is not about violence this is about voting. Every American should have that right and not be used as a pawn in the republican's attempt to stop poor people from voting in order to ensure their candidate wins the election.— SHARONANDTONE
- The Voter ID IS a transparent attempt to suppress those on the margins who would be more likely to vote Democratic. There should also be a better argument against the Voter ID law than "You're not being fair to people who can't be bothered to get a photo ID every 4 years."— Jay from Philly
- its blatantly obvious that Romney wanted to be booed at the NAACP meeting. playing to the base 101.— Ryan
- Comment removed.
- I wonder if the Demorats will dig up some of the dead people that vote each year and bring them to their protest. Dead people have had the right to vote in Pennsylvania for decades. Now they want the same dead people to get voter IDs. Good luck! lol
The voter ID law is a win for Constitutionalists.— Ralph 1
John is the author of the book "On The Front Lines of Pennsylvania Politics: Twenty-Five Years of Keystone Reporting" (The History Press, 2012). Reach John at baerj@phillynews.com.
