Letter to No. 3 in the Justice Department

Dear Mr. Perrelli:

I must respectfully and most angrily disagree with your decision to dismiss the civil complaint against members of the New Black Panthers. As you well know, voting is among the most basic and essential civil rights belonging rightfully to every American.

The intimidation of voters by the New Black Panther Party outside a polling center in Philadelphia was an outright and blatant violation of both the Constitution and Section 11(b) of the Voting Rights Act. Those who stood outside the polling place, wearing berets, combat boots, and military-style clothing while brandishing nightsticks and issuing racial insults and threats, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Every American citizen should know that their government will do everything in it's power to ensure that every American has the right and opportunity to vote as he or she pleases without interference and intimidation from hostile, racist groups like the New Black Panthers.

Your decision, sir, implies that such behavior will not be prosecuted lawfully in the future and only encourages more of the same. I have to say that, had it been a white supremacist group that was acting in such a manner, the case would almost certainly have been handled much differently. The outcome of this case is more regrettable. Thank you for your consideration.

Stephen Walker

Top 5 Reasons to STOP Sotomayor

Good article from College Republicans:

The more the American people know about Sonia Sotomayor, the less they like her.

In fact, the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corp poll shows that only 47 percent of Americans support her, while 40 percent oppose her confirmation. Those are terrible numbers for a judge.

So without further ado, here are the top five reasons Sonia Sotomayor should not be confirmed to the Supreme Court.

1. Why would Americans support a judge who believes "the right to possess a gun is clearly not a fundamental right."

2. There are also basic questions about Sotomayor's competence. In the six cases she's had before the Supreme Court, she has been overturned four times. How many Americans would get promoted if they blew two out of every three big decisions that they made?

3. Also, after Sotomayor's decision which was overturned by the Supreme Court "in Ricci v. DeStefano, that firefighters who earned a promotion can be denied the promotion merely because they are white," it's an open question whether Sotomayor can treat people of all races impartially.

4. Sotomayor also believes that judges should allow foreign law to influence their decisions: "unless American courts are more open to discussing the ideas raised by foreign cases, and by international cases ... we are going to lose influence in the world." She also said judges rightly have looked to foreign authorities "to help us understand whether our understanding of our own constitutional rights fell into the mainstream of human thinking."

5. Last but not least, Sonia Sotomayor is an unrepentant judicial activist who believes in making law from the bench. In fact, she has openly said courts are where "policy is made."

Sonia Sotomayor needs to be stopped so that a more impartial, qualified judge who believes in sticking to the Constitution can be chosen for a lifetime appointment to the highest court in the land.

Please help us get the word out about the dangerous, activist judge Sonia Sotomayor really is.

Dear Mr. President- Racism and Police Sgt. James Crowley

Dear Mr. President:

As a college student who lives, works, and studies amongst people of all ethnicities, I understand that racial bias exists in out nation. I have worked with inner-city youth, most of them black, since my early teenage years. A good number of my co-workers are also black. I have found many of these individuals to be of the highest integrity.

It is indisputable that enormous progress has been made in regards to racism. Your Presidency, sir, is a testament to this. The great citizens of the United States have had to overcome enormous obstacles to make progress towards equality for all. Today, every individual, no matter what the color of his or her skin, is equally protected by the law and enjoys the freedoms and liberties that make America great. Still, America has far to go.

I find your comments regarding Sgt. James Crowley and those associated with the Cambridge Police Department to be unfounded and counterproductive. To declare on national television that the police officers (including at least one black) acted "stupidly" in this matter is neither factual nor professional. Though neither of us was there, prior facts indicate that Sgt. Crowley is an exemplary officer with a record clean of racism. As you know, Sgt. Crowley has proven over and over again that he happily works alongside black people for the good of the community. Your statements have undermined the authority of police officers across the nation and created even more racial tension between white officers and people of the black community.

Thank you for your consideration.

Stephen Walker