Update Lawsuit: Pitts v. O’Geary, 5:12-cv-343-D
Download the “PLAINTIFF’S COMBINED RESPONSE TO OCTOBER 25, 2012 NOTICE FROM THE CLERK OF THE COURT AND PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT DIRECTED AGAINST DEFENDANT LONNIE DAVIS, JR.” here: 20121205_Response Clerk’s Notice.pdf
By Alan Pitts, Community Organizer, Consultant To Vance County Youth Voters Collision, Visional Artist
Just an update in our efforts to purge our fair city of those who believe the constitution of the United States is good for nothing more than toilet paper. People ask all the time what do you hope to get out of all of this. You know you can’t fight city hall. Or anyone who represents himself, has a fool for a lawyer. To that I say, I could have a fool for an attorney even if I’m not representing myself.
Personally, the only thing I am trying to achieve is to be able to live in a city that is not operating outside of the ways of the place we call America. A city like that I don’t feel safe. Not for me, of my three sons. If city officials could violate its citizen’s right to vote, what stop gaps are in place to prevent them from violating other rights, particularly involving life, liberty and property?
As a black man and a member of the majority population of Henderson, I feel a little embarrassed that I live in a town where my people are so uninformed, or just indifferent. People have died and have placed their lives in jeopardy to assure that minority citizens are able to exercise that right. Furthermore, I believe under different leadership, this city could be a great place to live and work. Particularly if a light rail line were to come through town.
Henderson has the potential to become an amazing hub with unemployment rates below the national average. If only certain self-serving individuals would just step to the side. Attached is our latest filing in the U.S. District Court. We are also seeking the assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Mr. Pitts, I do not know how they do things up in your home town of Long Branch, NJ; I do have more than a vague idea why and how the city elections were conducted in May.
I have a couple of quick observations regarding your latest posting. First you are proving that axiom about self representation. Second you are either very well schooled in preparing legal documents or have assistance from someone(s) with that legal expertise. Third, the reason “[your] people are so … indifferent.” is that ‘the people’ know the City election was fair and legal.
An aside I did not see you, your wife, nor Ms. Williams attending any of last year’s numerous open public meetings to oppose, to favor, to show disgust of the planned re-districting. I did attend those very public meetings asked questions and was publically educated on the nuances of Vance County’s compliance to the voting rights act.
Michael Bobbitt’s pro se comments regarding Mr. Pitt’s latest legal filings.
Mr. Pitt’s this is what I understand you are claiming:
1. There was no legal necessity to delay the 2011 municipal election.
2. There was no legal necessity to re-draw the city’s voting district 4.
3. Everything else you are claiming circles back to your claim of no legal necessity.
Mr. Pitts you may want to read the Resolution by the Vance County Board of County Commissioners to Redefine the Vance County Commissioner Electoral District that was approved at the Borad’s November 7, 2011, regular meeting. Starting on page 18 of 20111107_vcboc_agenda_full (posted on HiH) is a succinct explanation for re-drawing the county voting districts and obtaining court approval. I suspect there is a similar resolution approved by the city council.
Holding the municipal election in October 2011 before the court approval of re-districting would have necessitated another municipal election to assure the one man one vote theory of representation. That would have been a waste of energy and our limited taxpayers’ money.
I hope this posting will encourage at least one skilled and licensed legal eagle to help guide the neophytes through Mr. Pitt’s filing.
Mikey you have your panties all in a bunch. Your passion really come through. I love that you believe these are important matters. I think you might be okay after all, just a litte misguided. The first thing that you are wrong about is that it was only ward 4 that was redined. All 4 voting wards were changed in some way. One ward that was already lower than the others in population had territory taken from one side, only to be replace on the otherside. And just by chance it happen to sustaintially change to racial demengraph of both wards. Secondly, one man one vote is not an exact forumlar. By the interpretation that courts have used since the standard was developed, none of the wards were out of balance. The wards don’t have to be exactly even, they just need to be close within reason.Third, of the 9 elective position supposedly running in 2011, 5 of those seats were at large seats, including the major, and redistricting had no bearing of those offices. Why were these elections delayed? Huh, Mikey?
I am of the obvious minority, being a Celtic American woman. It’s about time someone noticed that our African Americans are the majority and this majority seems rather indifferent to reality. I am not a native southern person and find the southern mind-set more than disturbing…anglo or not. The under current of racism, reversed, cannot be missed by an outsider like me. Knowing where Ms. Williams comes from, I can empathize with her struggle to be taken seriously. I actually once advised her to be less confrontational in her presentations to the City Council and she responded that not everyone had diplomatic skills. Unfortunately, she dismissed my advice and has not reached the minority in a way that endears her cause; which is good but rather much dismissive of the minority that dominates the council. Oh, dear, and this IS supposed to be the land of equality. I say, respecting each other is the first step in reconcilliation of our differences. A poke in the nose is hardly a good way to make friends.
How is one man, one vote not an exact “formular”? Also, with all things being equal, what does racial demographics have to do with voting districts? People are people no matter what the color and each have the right to cast their own vote.
In the article above, a reference is made to people dying so minorities can have a right to “life, liberty and property”. I completely understand this (except for the property part). However, people died so ALL citizens of this country could have the rights afforded to us under the Constitution, not just minorities. My rights, your rights, our cousins in Idaho’s rights all came under the blanket of lost lives and spilled blood on soil both domestic and foreign. There is nothing new here so why keep harping about it? What good does this do? If we all have the same rights today, is this not equality?
Why does everything have to be about skin color? Thinking in terms of race is really what’s holding us back. It is a stale and retrogressive thought process in which to engage yourself. It’s concrete on the brain.Also, and this can be looked at through any lens you wish, when someone refers to themselves as a minority, does it not make them sound weaker then the majority? Why keep doing this over and over again?
We are fortunate enough to have friends of multiple ethnic backgrounds. We all believe we have the same right because we basically live the same lives. We shop the same, worship the same, work the same, raise a family the same and vote the same too. Other than our skin tone, how are we different and what good does it do either of us to talk about the plight of our older generations? None of us had anything to do with it so why are they responsible?
Since we all have the same rights, I believe it comes down to the choices people make when someone wants to measure their quality of life.
Mojo Raisin, did you vote for the president? Do you agree with his policies. Are you happy that he was reelected. I thought not. How about your multi colored friends who are idential to you in every way except they are multi colored? Oh yeah, I foregot that when you are looking through rose colored glasses, everything and everybody looks the same. Except when your daughter or sister brings one of them home. Then you’ll break out of that bubble you’re living in and becom more like your real self.
I agree that race should not be an issue; I’m just trying to point out how difficult it is to change something that people won’t consciously recognize. Some people deny their favoritism but their actions show them. If one believes we are all God’s children, then we really need to get over our sibling rivalries and act towards each other with respect, if not love.