EDITORIAL
Will Republicans Hear Protests for Equal Voting Rights from Madison and Brown? A quiet revolution in the Nation’s Capital has gained national attention as protestors are risking their lives to ensure voting rights. It’s a movement that calls for Congress to pass and President Biden to sign the Freedom to Vote Act or the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. National radio talk show host and human rights activist Joe Madison announced on November 8 that he would launch a hunger strike and “abstain from eating any solid food” on November 22 to press for passage of the bill that would restore parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, including protections minority voters. Voting rights advocates want to see rulings made by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2013 and last July reversed. They want states and other jurisdictions to obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices can take effect and they are calling for the removal of limits on minority participation in the voting process. The bill passed the House of Representatives in July but it was stalled in the Senate in November by Republicans who blocked it from proceeding to debate. Only one Republican, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, reportedly voted in favor of allowing the bill to proceed to debate. “Hunger strikes have been used as a means of political protest as long as there have been politics and resistance,” Madison, 72, announced on his Sirius XM broadcast. “It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, with my background in human and civil rights, that I have chosen this form of dissent for what I believe should be a redress for what is just plain politically and morally wrong,” U.S. Senator Michael D. Brown this week launched a hunger strike of his own to support Madison but to also bring attention to D.C. statehood. “As the ground swell for national voting rights expands, I want to make sure that D.C. statehood is not lost in the push for voter rights protection,” Brown said. He is asking supporters to join him for a one-day a week fast for freedom. He said he plans to fast on Mondays. The irony of the moment is how strongly a few feel and are willing to go for the rights of others – in this case, voting rights. Neither Madison nor Brown, 68, can afford a hunger strike due to the stress it will place on their bodies. While neither of them are new to protests, their decision to refrain from eating life sustaining food should embolden others to join the fight using any means necessary in order to get Congress to hear how important voters feel about protecting the right to vote. We can’t say whether this cause is worth dying for to those willing to take the risk but we can tell legislators that the lives of these and other passionate warriors rest in their hands. They have committed not to eat until legislators do the right thing for voting rights and D.C. statehood. WI
Pearl Harbor, 80 Years Later, Still a Haunting Memory and Reason to Honor Veterans While most of us only remember Dec. 7, 1941 from our history lessons, there remain a small cadre of men and women who actually recall that horrific day and what followed. They were on the frontline. But to put it into perspective, for those who were alive 80 years ago, whether they were members of the military or civilians, the shocking news of an attack on U.S. soil by a foreign power stunned Americans as much as the 9/11 attacks did to U.S. citizens in more recent history. After Japan launched a surprise attack on a U.S. naval base in Hawaii, America was forced to retaliate by entering World War II. As he issued a nationwide call to arms, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the event and day as a “date that will live in infamy.” Eighty years later, Americans held special ceremonies in Hawaii, in Washington, D.C. and in cities big and small on Tuesday, Dec. 7 to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the attack. In just a matter of hours, the death toll would escalate in breathtaking proportion, climbing to a total of 2,335 killed including 2,008 navy personnel, 109 marines, 218 army soldiers and 68 civilians, making the total count of fatalities 2,403 people.
TO THE EDITOR I can’t say that I am too concerned about the Omicron variant but I wonder when all this madness will end. I genuinely think we, as a global society, took things like public health and safety for granted before COVID-19 and I truly hope we’ve learned our lesson as this disease continues to cause so many deaths. Resilane Tarper Washington, DC
Like the 9/11 attacks, America had falsely believed prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, that we were somehow protected from the kind of battles that raged in countries like Europe. But we were wrong. There’s nothing pretty about war even with the pomp and circumstance, the parades and the decorative uniforms worn by those who serve. Just ask the few remaining veterans, now mostly in their 90s, who survived Pearl Harbor and World War II. For some, they will never be able to erase the images of devastation and death which engulfed them and cost many of their colleagues their lives. For others, the scars they
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I thoroughly enjoyed Kemet’s Space Activity Sheet. I learned a good bit of information and it was a nice break from the norm. I can’t wait to do the next one with my grandson. I believe it’s something he will not only benefit from but have fun with. Charlene Reid Washington, DC
carry serve as a constant reminder of the horrors of war, of that day in Dec. 1941 and the days, months and years which followed until the war’s end. We owe the veterans of Pearl Harbor and World War II our gratitude. Without their service and sacrifice, America would be a very different country. In fact, we should be grateful to all of the men and women who have served or currently serve in the armed forces because of their willingness to pay the ultimate to protect our nation and to guarantee our freedom. We salute you all! WI
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