Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / April 19, 2012, edition 1 / Page 3
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Barber urges students to fight voter ID law, Amendment One BY LAYLA FARMER THE CHRONICLE Brandon Singletary, the president of the Winston Salem State University Chapter of the NAACP, invited State NAACP President Dr. William Barber to campus Tuesday to help fire up his classmates about current issues related to social justice. Singletary, a junior from Jacksonville who is majoring in social work, was near Barber's side as Barber led the "Rally for a Revolution," which called for students to become more engaged in the political process. A similar event was held on the campus of NC A&T State University later that day. "Our goal is to get students active on certain issues that are in society as a whole, as well as the NAACP get ting people regis tered to vote," ? i i c: 1 CApi oi iicu omgiciaiy. we (staged) this event ttf let stu dents know how important it is to participate in voting and exercise their rights." Barber uiged (he students to take a page from the histo ry books and join the nation's oldest civil rights organiza tion in evoking a "Fresh Freedom Summer." Like the massive 1964 Freedom Summer movement, when students registered thousands of voters in the South, the new movement - which has a goal of registering 50,000 voters and getting 1,000 faith North Carolina churches to register 100 percent of their membership - will create big changes on the state and local level. Barber said. He believes the Hip Hop Generation will be the key to the movement's success. "We are at a time now that the worst thing that young people can do is not be engaged ...Everything you care about is in some way impacted by the vote," Barber said during his outdoor address near the school's clock tower. The event, which was arranged and organized quick ly, did not begin with bang. Only a a handful of students gathered around the clock tower when Barber began his remarks, but Barber's impas sioned speech drew in passers-by, attracting close to 100 attendees by its conclu sion. Students gathered in a circle around him as he implored them to rail against Republican lawmakers' effort to implement a voter identifi cation law, which he said is "nothing more than a 21st Century poll tax. Barber says there are many other efforts designed to suppress the electorate. "We are facing the most regressive attack on voting rights that we've seen since the 1800s," he declared. Barber also spoke out against massive cuts to the state's education budget that have been made in recent years. "When you cut education, you're undermining the future," Barber said. "...Those cuts are being made by people who have been elected. You cannot afford not to be engaged." He also took on Amendment One, urging stu dents to vote against the amendment that would add these words to the state Constitution: "marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized by the state." Although prominent national NAACP leaders have voiced their support for same sex marriage, the NAACP does not have an official stance on issue. Still, Barber said Amendment One legislation should be voted down because its is dis criminatory and redundant, since same-sex mar riages are already illegal in the state. "Whether you agree or disagree with same sex marriage ... what you should always disagree with is anytime anybody tries to write divi sion, discrimina tion and hate into the Constitution." Barber said. "If Singletary Campbell ??U/ you don t protect everybody s rights, you don't protect any body's rights." Barber said African Americans especially should be concerned about the amendment, because of the ramifications such legislation could have in the long run. "We who know what dis crimination is like ought to be against all discrimina tion," Barber declared. "We know how dangerous it is when you start allowing a majority to vote on who gets protected." Barber urged those present at the rally to stay involved in the political process, and to encourage their peers to do the same. "Don't let anybody shut down this generation - you're too important," Barber said. 'This is your America, this is your North Carolina ... this is your vote. Nobody gave it to you. We earned it." Sophomore Loren Campbell said she was encouraged by Barber's strong words against Amendment One. "I felt like it was awe some," she declared. "Barber is so full of energy. He really got the crowd going." As president of the school's Gay Straight Student Alliance (GSSAj, Campbell, 19, says she has been hard at work getting the word out about the amend ment for weeks and has com piled 60 pledges from stu dents who have vowed to vote against it. "Most students are against this but they don't know about it,'- commented the psychology major. "Our job is to publicize it." Singletary said he believed the rally succeeded in inspiring mora students to vote this election season. He hopes to continue the work because he believes his gener ation truly has the power to make their lives better by being engaged "If we as students voice our opinion, we can make things happen." said the 22 year-old "If we vote the right people in (office), it will be beneficial to us." 1 Photo* by Layla Farmer Dr. William Barber, cen ter, links arms with stu dents as he delivers a powerful message Tuesday afternoon on the WSSU campus. Like Us on mm Facebook!! H wwiacebookxomAV SChronicle FORSYTH COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS ?gg^ One-Stop Early Voting Locations, Dates/Times 2012 Primary Election Main Office Localron: Thursday & Friday April 19 - 20 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sunday April 22 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday April 23 - 27 .8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday April 30 - May 4 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday May 5 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Forsyth County Board of Elections Forsyth County Government Center 201 N. Chestnut Street. - Winston Salem N Satellite Locations: Monday - Wednesday April 30 - May 2 .10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Thursday - Friday May 3 - 4 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Saturday May 5 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Carver School Road Library 4915 Lansing Drive - Winston Salem ? Kernersvllle Fire Station #2 1385 South Park Drive - Kernersville Lewisville Library 6490 Shallowford Road - Lewisville Polo Park Recreation Center 1850 Polo Road - Winston Salem Rural Hall Library 7125 Broad Street - Rural Hall Southside Library 3185 Buchanan Street - Winston Salem WSSU (Anderson Center) 800 Price Street - Winston Salem If you have missed the 25 day voter registration deadline for the Primary and have lived at your current address for at least 30 days, you may register and vote during One-Stop Absentee Voting. You must prove residency by providing identification and documentation showing current name and current address. For additional Information contact the Forsyth County Board of Elections (336) 703-2800 www.fcvotes.com World-class care when and where you need it. You and your family deserve the best, most advanced care available. And that's just what you'll find at Wake Forest Baptist Health's new Medical Plaza in CJemmons. 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Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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