Wednesday, December 08, 2004

The Racist Language Isn't So Black and White

A recount shows a more narrow margin than first thought in Alabama. The state's voters rejected a bill that would have removed "seperate but equal" language from the state's constitution.

A reader of Watching Washington points out that the original intent of Amendment 2 was to simply remove the racist language. But the issue got muddled along the way. Amendment 2 eventually included language that was vague to voters. Some people saw it as a possible way to raise taxes. The 1956 language Amendment 2 sought to repeal included a clause that said education was a priviledge rather than a right -- suggesting the state had no responsibility to pay for schools.

In the original count, Amendment 2 failed by 1,850 votes. The latest numbers show the margin 1,766. (The Crimson White)

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