I just got this important message from Bob Hall, long-standing freedom fighter for democracy in North Carolina:

Good people,

White Southern Members of Congress are again embarrassing the region and nation by opposing civil rights legislation that has bipartisan support.

The 1965 Voting Rights Act was scheduled for a vote for renewal this week, until a group of Southern Republicans, including Rep. Virginia Foxx and Rep. Patrick McHenry from NC, convinced the House Speaker to stop the vote.

Please make a quick telephone call to US House Speaker Dennis Hastert and urge him to RENEW THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT NOW. Call toll-free 866-808-0065.

Renewal of key parts of this law --our most effective tool for fair elections and against discrimination -- is backed by a huge coalition. It passed the House Judiciary Comm by a 33-to-1 vote. The Speaker says he wants it to pass, but here comes a group of Southern whites who think it "harms" the South. They think discrimination has ended and there's no reason to keep parts of the law that protect minority voters.

Our own NC Board of Elections officials say the law is useful, not a burden and should be renewed. Rep. Mel Watt of Charlotte has led the effort to modify some parts of the law and reach bipartisan consensus for renewal.

Call Speaker Dennis Hastert's office - 866-808-0065. Tell him you're from the South and support a vote for the Voting Rights Act Renewal (HR-9) before Congress takes its July 4 holiday! If you prefer, you can also call Rep. Virginia Foxx and Rep. Patrick McHenry at this number.

For more background go to:

http://www.votingrightsact.org
http://www.votingrights.org/advocacy/?resourceID=68

Thank you!

Bob Hall
Democracy North Carolina
http://www.democracy-nc.org

PS: If you're interested in "cleaning up corruption" in Congress or in Raleigh, there's a special screening of a new film ("How Tom Delay Stole Congress") in Chapel Hill on June 27. Click on: http://bigbuy.bravenewtheaters.com/screening/show/5423