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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Sen. Doug Jones On Voting Rights, Impeachment, and Iran

NNPA NEWSWIRE — In an interview that tackled several pressing topics, Jones said he “absolutely agreed” that voting rights are under attack all over the country. “Access to the ballot box is the key. It has got to be fairly easy to register to vote these days but getting to cast a vote is what’s getting harder and harder,” Jones stated. “And, that is because of purging voter rolls; because of closing polling places; and convenient polling places and moving them. Those are the kinds of things that are causing some real concerns, and access to the ballot box is causing concerns,” he stated.

Published

4 years ago

January 30, 2020

Stacy M. Brown

Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) and Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., President and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association meet for an Exclusive Fireside Chat on Black voter turnout, the Reauthorization of the Voting Rights Act, bipartisan politics, the Futures Act, environmental justice and the administration's current military actions.

This interview is the follow-up to the Exclusive Fireside Chat between Senator Jones and Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., NNPA President and CEO

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

President Donald Trump should seek Congressional approval before engaging U.S. military personnel into any conflicts with Iran, or any other nation, according to Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.).

Jones spent a great deal of time on Wednesday, January 8, speaking exclusively with the Black Press of America.

The outspoken senator, who stunned Republican Roy Moore in a 2017 special election because of a large African American voter turnout, conceded that the president should act without the consent of Congress only if it’s to defend the United States.

In an interview that tackled several pressing topics, Jones said he “absolutely agreed” that voting rights are under attack all over the country.

“Access to the ballot box is the key. It has got to be fairly easy to register to vote these days but getting to cast a vote is what’s getting harder and harder,” Jones stated.

“And, that is because of purging voter rolls; because of closing polling places; and convenient polling places and moving them. Those are the kinds of things that are causing some real concerns, and access to the ballot box is causing concerns,” he stated.

Further, Jones added that it’s “past the time” for the Senate to do something about voting rights.

“Unfortunately, I don’t see that on the horizon as long as the Senate is controlled the way it’s controlled now,” Jones stated.

The senator has pushed H.R. 1, legislation that addresses voter access, election integrity, and election security. However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has refused to bring the bill up for consideration.

Jones, who penned the 2019 book, “Bending Toward Justice,” about the 1963 Alabama Church Bombing, has a long history of civil rights.

As a law student, he sat in on the 1977 trial of the first bomber prosecuted, Robert “Dynamite” Bob Chambliss.

“I think growing up in the South and coming of age in the 1960s and early 1970s, you just open your eyes to a lot of things,” Jones stated.

“And, that’s pretty much what happened to me. I started in my early years. I went to an integrated school system, which was the first in my city, and you know kids, kids adapted a lot better than our parents did,” he stated.

Jones continued:

“You tend to make sure that you get a sense that all people have the same rights. And, we’re all equal in God. And, you have to act that way and not just talk about it.”

It’s also why Jones has remained committed to assuring equal voting rights. He agreed that the 2020 election is crucial for America’s future and believes his party does have viable candidates.

“I think we’ve got to get candidates who are committed to their principles and committed to talking about issues that we have in common,” Jones stated. “I’m absolutely convinced across the South, and across the county, that we have so much more to come.”

Democrats cannot allow others to define them, Jones added.

“And, we stepped out, I think in 2017, to say, ‘we’re not going to let that happen here, or here is what I believe. Here are my principles. I’m going to listen, and I will be respectful. And, we’re going to see if we can find common ground,'” Jones stated.

“And, we were able to do that in 2017, and I think more candidates that do that, you’re going to establish a voice. Things will not change overnight,” he stated.

While Republicans have stood idle without challenging the president, Jones stated that Democrats hadn’t carried themselves much differently.

“I think there is,” Jones said, responding to whether Republicans have a fear of Trump.

“But, let me also add this: you rarely see Democrats standing up for the president when he does things the right way. And, I think we’ve got to get beyond that because, if we don’t work together, we’re never going to get anything done,” he stated.

Jones said bipartisanship is the way to go, and that’s evident by successful legislation passed across party lines to eliminate the widow’s tax for servicemen and women, and the Futures Act, which guaranteed funding for historically black colleges and universities and other minority-serving institutions.

“We’ve got to work together. I’d like to see more Republicans standing up and speaking out when the president does some things that clearly give Republicans, colleagues of mine, a lot of heartburn,” Jones stated.

“I don’t think Democrats should be afraid politically to simply say, ‘I agree with the president.’ It’s time to move forward. Let’s work together,” he stated.

With Trump’s impeachment trial looming over the Senate, Jones was asked if the president could receive a fair trial without witnesses.

“His definition of a fair trial maybe a little bit different than mine. He will have his counsel to cross-examine witnesses,” Jones stated. “The president complained about not being able to cross-examine the witnesses in the House. Well, if witnesses are called in the Senate, he would be able to cross-examine them. I think the American public deserves a fair trial. And by that, I mean, they deserve to have a complete picture with as much information as possible, and that includes people like John Bolton and Mick Mulvaney and others who have direct knowledge of these instances.”

“I don’t know what they would testify to, but I think we should hear from them. Let the House managers examine them and let the president’s lawyers examine them and let the chips fall,” Jones stated.

The confidence of Americans is vital for the impeachment process, and Jones is wary of a tainted trial.

“The last thing that we need is to have new evidence dribble out over the next year leading up to the election, whether it’s in a committee hearing, whether it’s leaks, or whether it’s in a book that somebody writes,” he stated.

“We need to have that information now so that we are all working off the same set of facts.”

Finally, Jones noted that the conflict with Iran is troublesome in that Trump hasn’t sought any guidance or feedback from lawmakers.

“Well, I don’t think the president is going to take any other military action unless it’s a purely defensive action. He needs to come to Congress pursuant to the War Powers Act,” Jones stated.

“I think there needs to be a review of authorization for the use of military force, and I think he needs to involve Congress a lot more. Look, [Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem] Soleimani was a bad guy, and the world is not going to miss him. He was a treacherous, ruthless human being. But, at the same time, the president and his administration should have consulted with the leaders of Congress in my opinion.”

Stacy M. Brown

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.