Voter Education

Voter registration without voter education leads to voter frustration.  So, this card has all the information that Georgia voters need to register, check their status, check their polling place, to early vote and to help start a conversation about the 20 items on the ballot on November 8, 2016.  It also includes the website and phone numbers to call to get a copy of the ballot before voting.

Voting for president and then turning your ballot in is like taking the quarterback to the football game and leaving the rest of the team at home.

Politics is a team sport.  So, research the ballot and talk to your friends about it.  Start a discussion on social media.  Then, vote the whole ballot!!

 

Another Peaceful Atlanta Protest

With the recent killings of Black men in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Charlotte, North Carolina; groups in major cities across the country are struggling to keep their protests peaceful.  Atlanta is still the model for holding peaceful protests.

On Friday night several thousand protesters, lead by the NAACP, marched from the National Center for Civil and Human Rights Museum to Ebenezer Baptist Church and the King Center.

Because Ebenezer had a Hymns & HipHop program (scheduled several months ago), the attendees joined the march as they proceeded on to the Atlanta Police Department. Lots of media coverage, a helicopter overhead, and very few law enforcement except near entrances to the interstate. Young people in neon safety vests labeled “Neutral Observers” covered the intersections to make sure traffic stopped until all the protesters passed.  At the Five Points MARTA Station, about a dozen MARTA police observed the crowd as they passed along Peachtree Street.

There was free water and water being sold along the route.  The diverse group of protesters were all ages, primarily in their 20’s and 30’s. They were all races, genders, religions, and socioeconomic status.  Some were visiting from out of state.

Bravo Atlanta, for another peaceful protest as groups across the country continue to demand accountability of law enforcement and massive changes to the criminal justice system. This “system” is being accused of ongoing racial profiling and treating people of color differently than whites.

We are all more alike than different.  In the words of Rodney King, “Can we all just get along?”

Georgia Democrats…Wake Up!

Below is the speech given by Erica Pines, Chair of the Fulton County Democratic Party and Delegate to the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia.  She gave this speech to the Georgia Democratic Delegation before they went to the conference in Philadelphia.

Greetings Georgia Democrats,

As we head into Philly, let’s be mindful of the history of our state, the current political climate of our state and also the greatness that is and could be in this beautiful state of ours.

As we aim to work hard to place Georgia into “play” this election cycle, we must demonstrate to the DNC, political factions and most importantly those that elect us to serve that we are no longer the antebellum south but are indeed a state looking forward not backwards.

It saddens me that heading into the convention we are still short in many of our diversity goals. In particular, our own data tells us that over 65% of the Democratic voters in Georgia are African American which is a Super Majority! Yet our Delegation is still short 20 African Americans of the suggested DNC goal. African American women are the largest voting bloc in this state and vote Democrat 98% of the time, therefore, I urge you to elect former Mayor Shirley Franklin to Chair our delegation.

It would be befitting of this state to have the first black female to be elected mayor of a major Southern city represent us in Philly as we place the first woman in the history of United States to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party.

Mayor Franklin stood with the Democratic Party of Georgia through the best of times and the worst of times. She’s chaired the Coordinated Campaign where she and her now deceased son worked hard to elect Democrats from the top to the bottom of the ticket. She’s been chosen by the DNC to co-chair the Platform Committee to ensure that all Democrats have their voices heard during the process. She is also Chair of the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and in 2006, The White House Project named Shirley Franklin one of its “8 in ’08”, a group of eight female politicians who could possibly run and be elected president.

Mr. Chairman, please allow someone from the largest voting bloc of our party represent our great state.

Georgia Delegation, Let’s stand on the podium with HER! Elect former Mayor Shirley Franklin as Chair of our Delegation!!

Thank you Erica Pines

Immediately after Erica gave this incredible speech, Representatives Stacey Abrams and Calvin Smyre called Mayor Franklin and encouraged her to step down.  Hmmm!  Hmmm!

Why is it that we have to always do what we have always done?  Change is good. Why would Georgia not encourage and allow those who have given the most to serve in this important position?  Why are we settling for the status quo?

Thank you Erica for stepping up and giving a stale situation a fresh outlook.  Thank you for your courage to not go along to get along.  You are not a troublemaker as you were told.  You are standing on the shoulders of Fannie Lou Hamer !