Voices Still Ringing for Voting Rights

The most recent one hour public affairs program  Mountain Talk on WMMT 88.7, mountain community radio broadcasting from Whitesburg, focused on the restoration of voting rights amendment: House Bill 70.   The show was organized, hosted, and engineered by Letcher chapter members Elizabeth Sanders and Sylvia Ryerson, along with east Kentucky KFTC staff.    Floyd County member and substance abuse counselor Jim Recktenwald served as an in-studio guest and voices from Central Kentucky, Jefferson County, Harlan County and beyond made it onto the one hour program through call-ins and audio from the recent Voting Rights Lobby Day and Rally.  

Commentary ranged from the bare bones of the bill and proposed amendment to stories of those fighting for their personal voting rights and the national scope of ongoing struggles for basic civil rights, rooted in democracy. Elizabeth read statistics of voter disenfranchisement from both Kentucky and across the country.  Elizabeth also briefly introduced the recent report from the NAACP, Defending Democracy: Confronting Modern Barriers to Voting Rights in America.  

NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous said of the report, "It's been more than a century since we've seen such a tidal wave of assaults on the right to vote. Historically, when voting rights are attacked, it's done to facilitate attacks on other rights. It is no mistake that the groups who are behind this are simultaneously attacking very basic women's rights, environmental protections, labor rights, and educational access for working people and minorities." 

After Elizabeth shared that at least 126,000 people in our state are disenfranchised through our constitution, Jim added, "That's a whole city that can't vote, to take care of itself."  Hear more from the hosts, guests, and callers from around the state on WMMT's website, where the whole podcast is available. WMMT will also re-air the show this Monday night, April 2, at 6 PM.  WMMT can be streamed live from anywhere on their website.