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MALDEF, others file suit over census citizenship question
MALDEF, The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, issued a news release on May 31, an excerpt of which is printed here:
Los Angeles – The Trump administration’s 11th-hour decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census violates the U.S. Constitution because it is racially discriminatory and could result in a severe undercount of minorities, according to a federal lawsuit filed [May 31] by nearly two dozen groups and individuals.
“The U.S. Constitution mandates a count of every person living in the United States,” said Nina Perales, MALDEF vice president of litigation. “Adding a citizenship question to the Census will drive down already low Census response rates and siphon political representation and government funding out of communities with the newest and youngest Americans.”
LWV speaks out against 'Cakeshop' decision
Washington, DC – League of Women Voters president Chris Carson issued a statement in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, in which a bakery refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple citing religious objections:
"[June 4's] Supreme Court decision side-steps answering an important discrimination question and will likely open the door to future same-sex litigation.
"All people, regardless of sexual orientation, should receive equal treatment from public businesses.... Today’s ruling fails to provide clarity around when free exercise of religion rises to the level of discrimination against a protected class.
"The League of Women Voters believes all persons should receive fair and equal treatment in public places. We cannot look the other way while some suffer discrimination."
Read the whole statement HERE.
Want to encourage people to vote? You are needed!
The San Antonio League is embarking on an aggressive effort to register more voters in time for the November general election and then to get them out to vote.
In addition to the Empowering Voters Project (see information at right), we plan to work with disabled citizens, especially during National Disability Voter Registration Week in July; and young people, whose registration and voting numbers are low.
We need a group of volunteer voter registrars. All it takes is a one-hour class at the Bexar elections office -- the next ones are July 10 at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Even if you don't do that, you may have other skills we can put to use, such as helping people fill out requests for mail-in ballots, encouraging people to vote, and more.
Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Glenda Wolin at league@lwvsa.org.
Current Newsletter - June 2018
(Fast-forward through about 10 minutes of this sign to start the the video.)
See Councilman Rey Saldaña's speech at the luncheon here