Ala. Segregation Arrests May Be Pardoned

[deadparrot]

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama lawmakers are considering pardoning hundreds, possibly thousands, of people who were arrested decades ago for violating Alabama's segregation laws.

The idea of a mass pardon gained traction after the death last year of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who had refused to give up her bus seat to a white man half a century earlier.

Even though the law allowing segregated seating on city buses was eventually overturned, Parks conviction is still on the record, said Rep. Thad McClammy.

"This is something that's long overdue. It's something aimed at giving the state a forward look," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/rosa_parks_pardon

[Orsino]

1. "Considering." That means someone's arguing against it.

We know what those people are.

[hatrack]

2. And it only took 50 years!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! USA! USA! USA! USA!

[Omaha Steve]

3. About time!

Why is this taking so long. Remember President Johnson said as I sign the civil rights bill, I write the democrats out of Southern votes for decades to come.

[FredScuttle]

4. In other news

Alabama considering going back to leeches and bloodletting to treat disease.

"We have to be sure!"

[mom cat]

5. Good. It is high time for this to happen.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. 'Rosa Parks Act' would bring (segregation law) pardons (in Alabama)

CNN/AP: 'Rosa Parks Act' would bring pardons
State mulls bill to absolve those arrested under segregation laws
Thursday, March 16, 2006


MONTGOMERY, Alabama (AP) -- Alabama lawmakers are considering pardoning hundreds, possibly thousands, of people who were arrested decades ago for violating Alabama's segregation laws.

The idea of a mass pardon gained traction after the death last year of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who had refused to give up her bus seat to a white man half a century earlier.

Even though the law allowing segregated seating on city buses was eventually overturned, Parks' conviction is still on the record, said Rep. Thad McClammy.

"This is something that's long overdue. It's something aimed at giving the state a forward look," he said.

His proposed "Rosa Parks Act" would pardon everyone ever arrested under the state's segregation laws, which date back to the state's 1901 constitution. A House committee approved the bill Thursday, sending it to the full House for debate....


http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/03/16/alabama.pardons.ap/index.html

[NashVegas]

7. Society Needs to Forget

And then it needs to forget it has forgotten, to paraphrase James Carse.

[tocqueville]

9. Forgive yes, never forget

if you forget, it's gonna start again.

[BlackHeart]

8. Why wasn't this done before

when she was alive?

[pinto]

10. It's a good thing to put on the public record. Symbolic, most

likely, (?), but a good statement for their State legislature to approve.

[Solon]

12. Actually, maybe not so symbolic...

Many people were arrested during that time, many probably still have "records" that preclude them from being able to vote, given that, a pardon would reinstate their full citizenship.

[benddem]

11. It's about time

but it is the first thing I've heard in months from a red state that is positive.