AS IT IS 2015-08-06 Landmark US Law Marks 50th Anniversary

AS IT IS 2015-08-06 Landmark¹ US Law Marks 50th Anniversary

Fifty years ago, U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965. At the ceremony, he called the measure "one of the most monumental laws in the entire history of American freedom.”

The law bans discrimination based on a voter’s race or skin color. It also requires states with histories of racial barriers to get federal approval before changing any election rules.

The Voting Rights Act followed years of civil unrest and violence. African-Americans already had the constitutional right to vote. But the legislation helped end legal barriers that some states and counties had established.

"Millions of Americans are denied the right to vote because of their color," President Johnson said during the signing ceremony August 6, 1965. He promised that the new law would ensure that the federal government "will not turn aside until Americans of every race and color and origin in this country have the same right as all others to share in the process of democracy."

Registering new voters

In the next 50 years, U.S. voting lists added millions of African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans and others. Americans have voted an increasing number of minorities into public office, as well. And they have chosen a black man, Barack Obama, for the nation’s highest elective office – twice.

Many states also have eased voter registration² processes and expanded voting times and absentee voting. Such steps have increased access to voting.

Under attack

But some observers say the Voting Rights Act is under attack.

John Lewis is a Democratic Party lawmaker from Georgia. He has said there is a “systematic attempt to make it harder and more difficult for the disabled, students, seniors, minorities, poor and rural voters” to take part in voting.

Mr. Lewis has been involved in civil rights for many years. He was wounded in a 1965 march for voting rights.

The American Civil Liberties Union  says a record number of voting restrictions³ were established in 2011. The group says the measures include photo identification requirements and other restrictions to voter registration.

Legislative⁴ activity sped up

Wendy Underhill is with the National Conference of State Legislatures. She said states have been making more changes to local voting laws since the narrowly won presidential race of 2000. She said states legally can make changes. But, she said, any changes must also honor federal law.

In June 2013, the Supreme⁵ Court rejected an enforcement provision of the Voting Rights Act. The provision involved nine states with histories of severe racial discrimination. The provision required them to get federal approval before changing election processes.

North Carolina in spotlight⁶

A month after the ruling, North Carolina enacted⁷ a combination of new rules. The state law ended same-day voter registration, stopped preregistration of 16- and 17-year-olds, and cut back early voting from 17 days to 10.

The U.S. Justice Department and several civil rights groups disputed the new election law. They said the Republican-led legislation meant to exclude many African American, Hispanic and young voters from the voting process. These groups generally vote for Democrats⁸.

However, the state argued that there was no discriminatory design. And it said that the voting rate of African-Americans had increased after the new rules were in place.

A judge is expected to decide the case later this year.

A signal event

After the Civil War, the U.S. ended slavery, guaranteed citizenships and gave African-American men the right to vote. But some states and counties established rules that prevented them from doing so. Many blacks risked beatings and other deadly force for attempting to vote.

The civil rights movement reached a turning point on March 7, 1965. The day came to be known as Bloody⁹ Sunday. Some 600 voting rights supporters planned to march peacefully to Alabama’s state capital of Montgomery from Selma. But as they left Selma, the marchers encountered 150 police at the Edmund Pettis Bridge. The security forces attacked the demonstrators.

"They came toward us, beating us with nightsticks, trampling¹⁰ us with horses, releasing the tear gas," recalled Congressman¹¹ Lewis, who had helped organize the march. The 25-year-old was hit on the head with a police stick and suffered a concussion¹².

“I thought I was going to die. I thought I saw death."

Victory at last

The public was horrified¹³ at the images of the attack on television and in newspapers. Martin Luther King came to see Congressman Lewis at the hospital. He remembers what the civil rights leader said to him.

"…and said, John, don't worry, we will make it from Selma to Montgomery and the Voting Rights Act will be passed."

King's prediction came true. He and 2,000 others completed the march to Montgomery in late March. The Voting Rights Act became law about five months later.

These days, Congressman Lewis is pushing to restore Voting Rights Act protections he said were ended by the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision.

He said, "If we fail or cannot repair the damage done to this act ... we will be less a democratic country, a democratic society.”

Words in This Story

monumental – adj. very important

county – n. an area of a state or country that is larger than a city and has its own government to deal with local matters

origin – n. the point or place where something begins or is created: the source or cause of something

absentee voting – n. legal entry of votes by voters who is not able to be present when the election occurs

provision – n. a condition that is included as part of an agreement or law

1 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

2 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

7 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

8 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 bloody   

adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染

参考例句：

• He got a bloody nose in the fight.他在打斗中被打得鼻子流血。
• He is a bloody fool.他是一个十足的笨蛋。

10 trampling   

踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯

参考例句：

• Diplomats denounced the leaders for trampling their citizens' civil rights. 外交官谴责这些领导人践踏其公民的公民权。
• They don't want people trampling the grass, pitching tents or building fires. 他们不希望人们踩踏草坪、支帐篷或生火。

11 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

12 concussion   

n.脑震荡；震动

参考例句：

• He was carried off the field with slight concussion.他因轻微脑震荡给抬离了现场。
• She suffers from brain concussion.她得了脑震荡。

13 horrified   

a.(表现出)恐惧的

参考例句：

• The whole country was horrified by the killings. 全国都对这些凶杀案感到大为震惊。
• We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. 地方监狱的普遍状况让我们震惊。