Some Oppose Ala. Segregation Amendment (Roy Moore/Christian Coalition)

[Khephra]

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Civil rights activists say racism is behind opposition to a ballot measure that would strike language requiring segregated schools and poll taxes from the Alabama Constitution.

Ousted chief justice Roy Moore and other critics contend the measure is a backdoor attempt to raise taxes for schools. But leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference said Wednesday their claims were a "smoke screen" to hide a racist agenda for political gain.

"It's an attempt to divide blacks and whites by race," said Spiver Gordon, an SCLC board member. "In 2004, it's a disgrace we still have vestiges of segregation in our constitution."

Christian Coalition of Alabama President John Giles denied racism had anything to do with opposition to the measure. Giles said he and other critics are concerned that a section of the proposal could open the door to "judicial activism."

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-segregation-amendment,0,2397737.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

[Unstuck In Time]

1. Roy Moore... poster child in the fight against "judicial activism"

Bury my brain in the composte heap, lawd oh lawd, I'm born-again!

[alfredo]

2. But forcing your religious beliefs onto the public is

not judicial activism? Installing a president is not judicial activism?

[quaoar]

3. Alabama's constitution

is one of the longest in the world. It is archaic and unwieldy and needs to be rewritten. It gives vast powers to the state Legislature. Local governments have to get state approval for all kinds of things. When we have elections there are frequently statewide ballot measures to approve things like change fire district dues in some county 100 miles away. It's ridiculous.

The language talked about in the article was long ago struck down by the courts, but someone decided that Alabama ought to formally remove it from the Constitution as well because it's the right thing to do.

Roy Moore is pretty popular here. He got more than 800,000 votes when he ran for and won the chief justice job. But he won't win this one.

[Supersedeas]

4. can we expect every retort no matter how far fetched will involve TAXES

[deadmessengers]

5. Wow. Racism in Alabama.

Who'da thunk it.

[Inland]

6. LIke the "judicial activism" that struck down those racist laws

Don't want to encourage that sort of thing. Better to keep the racist laws on the books and wait for the Bush new appointments to delcare that yes, state sponsored segregation and poll taxes are consititutional.