LINCOLNTON, Ga. -- After several attempts by the Lincoln County Board of Elections to reduce the number of polling places in Lincoln County Georgia, the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda and other voting rights groups were elated that the voice of the voters was heard and their efforts to stop the board from closing seven locations to create one was successful.
Rev. Denise Freeman, a local civil and human rights activist who led the efforts to collect signatures from voters on two separate petitions said, "Ï would love to be able to celebrate the hard work of Lincoln County voters to stop the board from consolidating seven polling locations into one but I can't. There's still work to do to make sure that every eligible voter in Lincoln County is able to cast a ballot that counts in the upcoming Midterm Elections."
The Lincoln County Board of Elections voted 3-0 against closing polling places on Wednesday.
Helen Butler, executive director of the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda said, "The voters made sure their voices were heard. They knocked on doors and collected the required signatures for the petition to stop the plan to reduce the polling places to one. Needless to say, the board pivoted and announced an alternative plan to reduce the locations to three, nullifying the petition."
Talking to a group of about 300 women attending the Black Women's Roundtable National Summit in Washington, DC Butler continues, "They were playing games with the peoples' right to vote. But, in less than a week we were able to assist the Lincoln County voters in collecting signatures to stop the second plan, and we were ready to go a third time but the board decided to keep seven polling locations. This is indicative of power voters have by being engaged in the process. The people spoke and elected officials had to listen."
The petition presented with the requisite names in December reads, "We, the undersigned Lincoln County registered voters do hereby object to a proposal by the Lincoln County Board of Elections to close our current polling locations and to create a single polling location for all Lincoln County voters."
The petition drive was coordinated by the Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda, Common Cause Georgia, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, Black Voters Matter, Southern Poverty Law Center and Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials. Local activists and community members helping to coordinate are: Rev. Denise Freeman, civil/human rights activist, Bishop Willie Jackson, Christ Centered Outreach Ministry, and Rev. Christopher Johnson, Augusta Interfaith Coalition.
ABOUT THE PEOPLE'S AGENDA
Georgia Coalition for the People's Agenda is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization performing year-round voter registration, education and mobilization in Black communities throughout Georgia. Led by board chair, Rev. J. A. Milner, and Butler, the organization has headquarters in Atlanta and offices in Athens, Albany, Macon, Augusta, LaGrange and Savannah.
For more information visit http://thepeoplesagenda.org, email coalition@bellsouth.net or call the People's Agenda at (404) 653-1199.
Related link: https://www.thepeoplesagenda.org/
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NYC Mayoral Candidate Cleopatra Fitzgerald Says ‘No One Is Above The Law’
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- NYC Mayoral Candidate Cleopatra Fitzgerald says: "No One Is Above The Law." Lady Cleopatra asks: Courts, Judges, Attorneys or others in higher office to please put attention to the issues that need justifiable laws or alterations as history and the present shows there are tyrannical laws bringing about disruption and decline whereas prosperous laws deliver harmony and order.
The laws of each country, region generally are composed of tradition, religion, culture, norms, values, administration, party beliefs, superstition, oppression, nationalism amongst others.
There are specific issues that resonate globally in particular: poverty, crime, education, health, homelessness, corruption, environment, equality, discrimination and countless more. For these reasons my intention solely is to voice the deficiencies (broken systems) that so many people are clamoring to repair.
It is a plea to those in office to construct laws (if they may) to preserve with their good judgment not wickedness, a healthy way in every aspect to affirm the virtuous norms of righteous demeanor and decorum.
Below is a list of numerous fallible broken systems and their possible solutions according to Fitzgerald. The list extends depending on each country, region and their necessities.
Madam Cleopatra on each topic declares:
Justice: It should never be personal with ill feelings, not for his/her interest or bias, or siding with a predilection; it is on the grounds of truth and seeing evidence where the truth speaks of liberty and not persecuting the innocent victims.
Teachers and education: A sincere confidential survey with non-identifiable bar codes or numbers to assess progress in teaching, no bullying amongst teachers and students (no peer pressure), teachers should neither directly nor indirectly harass students or mal-influence their reputation, no unwanted advances, no misguided content of books intended to talk badly of a student that could lead to suicide, syllabus timely organized and no lies with what to study, no objectification and no repression of student where they are intimidated with silence and non-growth of mind, physical, emotional and spiritual. Surveillance cameras to record inside the veracity of incidents.
Police and other emergency workers, essential workers: Conflict resolution, cultural training, new techniques to apprehend criminals, do not treat them with disrespect and likewise not to treat civilians with unwarranted harshness.
Seniors, Disabled, LGBTQ, Racial groups and Children: To be given aid against assault and abuse considering that they are susceptible to mistreatment. For the perpetrators to face justice and given courses on civility and awareness, safer streets and accessibility.
Poverty, Homelesness: Research each country, region and the factors leading to it. Philanthropists and the wealthy can unite in the efforts to reduce these issues. What equal opportunities are being denied by whom, what policies, what is lacking. Sometimes social workers violate their ethics code by siding with homeless and criminals.
Corruption: The cost of corruption is trillions and it wrecks the economy. Watchdogs, ethics commissions, human rights organizations, whistleblowers, investigative journalists, The FBI's International Corruption Unit (ICU), Global Anti-Corruption Consortium, and others have exposed the havoc and lack of proper laws to rectify this serious problem.
Crimes: The day by day variations of crimes is shameful, it exhibits the inadequacy of laws, responsible surveillance, education, distribution of resources to help people out of crime and poverty stricken communities.
Religion: Persons internationally come from an assortment of cultures, races and religions. Nonetheless, religious places of worship should not be subject to animosity, gossip, harassment, fraud, embezzlement, physical and mental abuse. Places of worship are to peacefully congregate.
Teenagers, Roommates: Teenagers should be taught to live conscientiously and if they become roommates to live without breaking laws of etiquette, no stealing, loud parties, intimate violence, drugs, not making it miserable for their roommates by participating in activities that would be injurious to the other tenants.
Parents: Tell kids not to trust strangers, educate them with good judgment.
Transparency and accountability: What good are if all laws are made and the persons enforcing them bend them and circumvent them pursuant to their selfish needs? There should be persons overseeing each sector, department, and government agency.
Royalty and those in office: No one should be above the law, they should not be immune from criminal, human rights abuses and other offenses regardless of monetary or heritage. No attacking of innocent citizens or others.
Immigrants: The distinct types of immigrants come to each country for special causes. Immigrants and their children, babies should not be harmed, harassed and left in danger. It is a humanitarian disaster. That crisis needs a lot of organizations and spaces to not treat immigrants as stray animals in cages.
Reforms: By paying attention to the populace and their troubles the policies, laws, can change or create a new preferably to continue with the same inoperative manners.
Foreign, National affairs: No xenophobia, no bias, no ambiguity
These topics or just a few of the many more that will be gradually discussed Ms.Fitzgerald says as this campaign season ends she is running to make aware the causes that matter. She will keep you the public updated with anything coming.
"Paid For By Cleopatra Fitzgerald For The Five Boroughs"
For more information visit https://cleopatrafitzgeraldforthefiveboroughs.us/ or https://twitter.com/CleopatraFitz05
Related link: https://cleopatrafitzgeraldforthefiveboroughs.us/
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