[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 25 (Wednesday, February 8, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H1379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




INSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION ALIVE AND WELL IN BUTLER, GA

  (Ms. McKINNEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, while many people in this House feel that 
institutional and political discrimination are a thing of the past, I 
would like to draw their attention to the tiny town of Butler, GA. 
After 10 years of no elections, the town of Butler will finally have 
free and fair elections which do not exclude its 46 percent black 
population from being represented.
  The Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had to order the town's 
all-white council to open its polls and put an end to rigging elections 
that kept African-Americans off the town council.
  To my Republican colleagues who are anxious to repeal motor-voter, 
the Americans With Disabilities Act, and the voting rights acts, I say 
beware. We spend billions of dollars every year to protect and promote 
democracy abroad, and you want to spend billions more for a star wars 
defense of democracy at home.
  Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that we are yet to achieve democracy 
and equality right here at home, and the last thing we need is a bunch 
of politicians saying that inequality and injustice at home are all 
right with them.


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