“Now, I don’t think that’s attributable to the fact that it is so much clearer now that we need this. I think it is attributable, very likely attributable, to a phenomenon that is called perpetuation of racial entitlement. It’s been written about. Whenever a society adopts racial entitlements, it is very difficult to get out of them through the normal political processes.”
– Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, during oral arguments about the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
The U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing the Act because of a lawsuit brought by Shelby County, Alabama. Attorneys for Shelby County claim that the Act has essentially worn out its welcome because the nation has a biracial president and plenty of non-Caucasians in positions of power. If it isn’t for the fact that the state of Alabama has a vitriolic history of voter suppression and intimidation, the lawsuit might have some validity. But, the images of White police officers beating Black people protesting for their right to vote keeps swinging through my mind. Despite the election of Obama, some Republican-dominated districts have made an attempt in recent years to reconfigure some areas that could ensure GOP wins. Many of these areas are in the Southeastern U.S. where – if anyone has done their research – racial discrimination was more entrenched just a half century ago. Selma, Alabama is the site of one of the most vicious attacks on unarmed citizens by police in U.S. history.
It doesn’t surprise me that Scalia would make such a statement. As far as I know, he’s never experienced firsthand the feeling of a water hose against his face just because he wanted to be treated as a human being. Then again, neither have I. But, the Voting Rights Act and its predecessor, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, were meant to ensure that. I guess Scalia – sitting up on his ivory throne – still hasn’t figured that out.
Chief Writing Wolf 
Hey, remember Scalia was the one who said you could keep a gun trained on a home invader while dialing 911 at the same time. We already know he’s from an alternate universe.
I am not a US citizen, so maybe I miss some nuances. But if it did not do enough harm to Mississippi, to abolish slavery officially this year, a situation that has worn out its welcome a long time ago already, I do not see the urgency to abolish a voting act that is still so new, and can probably do more good than hurt anyone if it stays on the books. So, yes, that gets me wondering why the activism of the people who want to get rid of it. What is their real object? We can guess of course.