Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Editorial: Governor is batting .000 on race matters
Is Bob McDonnell an insensitive, inept executive or does he have something against black people? Virginians are beginning to wonder.
From the RoundTable blog
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Surely, Gov. Bob McDonnell, a seasoned, skilled politician, couldn't be as insensitive as he seems. First, he calls slavery insignificant. Now, he wants to grade essays by ex-offenders before deciding if they've been punished enough.
McDonnell admitted he blew it when he omitted a passage about the role of slavery in a proclamation declaring April as Confederate History Month. He needs to own up to his second blunder -- requiring a literacy test of sorts before restoring citizenship rights to former nonviolent felons -- before people start asking: What does the governor have against black people?
Black leaders, civil rights activists and the Democratic Party (which, of course, would look to highlight a Republican governor's wrongs) are rightfully alarmed that McDonnell's new litmus test would mostly serve to disenfranchise African Americans -- who are disproportionately represented in the ex-felon population.
Hopefully, the governor is merely afflicted with a case of ineptness complicated by an intellectual diet with a deficiency of broad-minded thoughts. Whether the case is benign or malignant depends on the treatment McDonnell seeks.
He did take a dose of humility when recognizing the error on slavery. Let's hope he swallows his pride twice and rescinds a new voting rights restoration policy that shackles once-errant Virginians to their mistakes.
In any other state, save Kentucky, nonviolent ex-offenders have established, nonpartisan pathways to restoring their rights as citizens, including voting. In Virginia, the governor gets to decide whether someone is worthy. This is already wrong.
Nonviolent ex-offenders have to wait three years after release, then apply, but only if they have stayed clean.
Former Gov. Tim Kaine restored a record number and was under great pressure to issue a blanket order because civil rights advocates feared a Republican governor would be as sparing as the party's predecessors.
McDonnell said he'd simplify the process and make quicker decisions. Then, he added a new hurdle: Ex-offenders will be judged on the persuasiveness of an essay explaining who they are, what they've done and why they should be allowed to vote.
Those who can't write can always hire an attorney to pen it or call the government and dictate their stories, either avenue a burden to keep people from applying. Which could be the point.
The only story McDonnell should need: Time served; debt to society paid in full.
Ex-offenders who have done what is required of them do not owe the governor an explanation. The same cannot be said of him.
