NYT Op-Ed: Suppress the Vote?

[kskiska]

By BOB HERBERT


The big story out of Florida over the weekend was the tragic devastation caused by Hurricane Charley. But there's another story from Florida that deserves our attention.

State police officers have gone into the homes of elderly black voters in Orlando and interrogated them as part of an odd "investigation" that has frightened many voters, intimidated elderly volunteers and thrown a chill over efforts to get out the black vote in November.

The officers, from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which reports to Gov. Jeb Bush, say they are investigating allegations of voter fraud that came up during the Orlando mayoral election in March.

Officials refused to discuss details of the investigation, other than to say that absentee ballots are involved. They said they had no idea when the investigation might end, and acknowledged that it may continue right through the presidential election.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/opinion/16herbert.html?hp

[faithnotgreed]

1. i am nearly stunned. my email of thanks to him at the nyt:

i could cry reading your op-ed article regarding the (repeated) suppression of african american votes in florida

i literally cannot believe this is happening. oh, i sadly believe that florida, and our government, is involved in many things with the "vile stench" of which you speak;
what i cannot believe is that i am actually reading about it in the mainstream press. i am not being dramatic when i say that this does not seem real, after all that has happened that goes unreported. every single day.

i truly wish i had words to thank you for writing this. and for the new york times for printing this.

we must break the chains that are being woven around our constitutional necks. and we must all stand together as americans to do our moral and national duty on november 2nd.

maya angelou told us, "let your light shine america. let it shine".

for all who have been and all who will be, we do this for you.

God bless you sir.

[dand]

2. Frightening indeed, when you read this in the same edition

F.B.I. goes knocking for political troublemakers. The only thing missing here are jackboots and arm-bands.



http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/16/politics/campaign/16fbi.html?hp

[Mixxster]

3. This needs to be read. n/t

[Rose Siding]

4. The paper should have this on the front page

Anyone with a social conscience knows this is scandalous

[DaveSZ]

5. Jim Crow

alive and well

[berry]

6. Send this to everyone you know.

My sister called me to ask if I'd read it. She got it in an e-mail from a friend. I think this is getting wide exposure, because anyone who reads it is stunned. (Even a cynic like me--is there *nothing* they won't do?? I know, Lily Tomlin was right.)

The poster who said this should have been on page 1 was right. It is breaking news, and news-you-can-use (as they say).

Bob Herbert is a national treasure.

Does anyone know if this has been posted as a topic to discuss in GD? There are lots of people who don't come here to Editorials. I guess I'll try "search"...