In Wis one-in-nine blacks can’t vote

It is no surprise who felony disenfranchisement hurts the most: those who are disproportionately incarcerated, i.e. black people.

Of the 6.1 million disenfranchised voters, 2.2 million are African American, which means one in 13 voting age black people is disenfranchised — more than four times the rate of non-black disenfranchised voters, according to the Sentencing Project.

One and a half percent of all Wisconsinites were disenfranchised in 2016, but 8.8 percent of African Americans were disenfranchised in Wisconsin.

According to the ACLU of Wisconsin one out of nine Black voters in Wisconsin are disenfranchised compgo ared to one out of 50 white voters, giving the state the 11th highest rate of disenfranchisement in the U.S.

Thanks to Tracy of Messiah Lutheran for finding this article to read the whole article go to

http://madison365.com/one-in-nine-blacks-cant-vote/

remembering and asking forgiveness

On Good Friday an ecumenical group walked together down town as a modern day Way of the Cross. There were 9 stops along the way including, US Federal Court, Bus Stop, State Capitol, Dane County Jail.  At each stop there was reading, prayer and song.  One stop was the Historical Museum and one of the prayers was:

History is replete with examples where the threat of violence or fear has resulted in the standardization of prejudice and hostility--the forced relocation of Native American populations, the internment of Japanese Americans, the segregation of African American communities, the incarceration of minorities, and the ongoing deportation of immigrants and exclusion of refugees.  All responded:

Lord, forgive us, for we know not what we do

The walk was sponsored by Madison Catholic Worker
www.madisoncatholicworker.org

The Dream of Tomorrow

“Today is the tomorrow you could only dream about yesterday.”  Words from the sermon of Pastor Marsh at the ordination of Christa Fisher. Sunday April 9, 2017

We might reflect on the ordination and installation service of Christa as the tomorrow we dream of for the beloved anti racist community. What did we see? What did we hear?  How did we live those moments in a “key of praise?”

One of the readings was from Martin Luther King, Jr’s Letter from the Birmingham jail written April 16, 1963.

I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.

Why is this reading still important to us 53 years later?

New Jim Crow Panel

Thank you for calling our attention to the panel at Edgewood College last evening.

Seeing five panelists on stage who had spent many years in Wisconsin prisons was a living image of the book many of us read, The New Jim Crow. Four panelists were black men and one a white woman. All but one was a member of EXPO (Ex Prisoners Organizing.) The evening was a dialogue with students who had read the book and the five who had experienced the deliberativeness of a system that keeps people of color out of civic life.  When people are labeled as felons and/or registered sex offenders for the rest of their lives, they are prohibited from work as health professionals or federal employees. They cannot live in federally subsidized housing. They may be tracked with an ankle bracelet or on parole for many years. “The system is not broken,” a couple of the panelists emphasized. The system separates black people and other people of color from the rest of society in the same way that slavery and Jim Crow have in the past.

How can we join with ex prisoners, who know the system only too well, to systemically change this racially biased system?  That was the question that sends us to learn more and join with others to undo racism.

In memory of Martin Luther King Jr

April 4, 1968

Today we remember the death of Martin Luther King Jr who gave his life so that we can work for the life of all.  He once said:

“People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they have not communicated with each other.”

What helps you to work for racial justice in 2017?

note April 6, at 6:00pm to 7:30pm details below

There is an offering in a new comment under the post about the Supreme Court below.
Sounds like a helpful event for this dialogue.  See that new comment for details.

Great opportunity for white anti racists

Book Workshop Series Facilitated by Laurel Finn and Laurie O’Donnell

10-week, sequential series designed for white people to forward anti-racism work. We connect the book with dialog and experiential activities, by exploring the white experience.

Goals of the Series - Build a community with a shared understanding of privilege, whiteness, and racism - Increase your ability to begin, support, and progress racial justice work - Develop leadership capacity around issues of diversity, inclusion, and race Testimonials from past group members: “I was impressed with both the course content and with the way that Laurel and Laurie facilitated. Laurel and Laurie brought honesty, knowledge, and humanity to our meetings. I'd taken other racial justice classes, but this one felt different. I appreciated the specific focus on whiteness and privilege, and that there were opportunities each week to practice ‘walking the talk.’ There was lots of learning, sure, but each piece also had an element of doing. That seems essential for those who want to not just understand racism but who also want to affect change.” “The Witnessing Whiteness class has truly been a life-changing and humbling experience! I have always thought of myself as a "good white person." And while I do try to do good in my community, I cannot discount or ignore the role my white privilege has played and continues to play in my interactions with friends, neighbors, and community members of color. Frankly, my privilege has allowed me not to even think about it. I honestly believe that every white person in Madison needs to take this class before attempting to step up and interrupt racism in our community. Laurel and Laurie facilitate the class with compassion, honesty, and thoughtful insight. I cannot recommend the class highly enough!” Dates Time Location Monday April 24th 6:00-8:15pm First Baptist Church Tuesdays in May (2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 30th) 518 N Franklin Ave Wednesdays in June (7th, 14th, 21st, 28th) Madison, WI  53705 The series is free and is limited to 30 participants. To register, please email Laurel at lafinn@wisc.edu by April 10th.