Federal judges question Alabama’s new congressional map, lack of 2nd majority-Black district
Federal judges question Alabama’s new congressional map, lack of 2nd majority-Black district
A panel of federal judges on Monday began a review Alabama’s redrawn congressional map which opponents argue blatantly defies the court’s mandate to create a second district where Black voters have an opportunity to influence the outcome of an election.
A panel of federal judges on Monday began a review Alabama’s redrawn congressional map which opponents argue blatantly defies the court’s mandate to create a second district where Black voters have an opportunity to influence the outcome of an election.
Trying to make gerrymandering fair...
No it’s not just “fair” gerrymandering.
There are 7 House districts in Alabama. Currently 1 out of 7 of them are Black majority, while about 2/7 people in Alabama are Black. It’s illegal racial gerrymandering that keeps it this way. Any reasonable map would have at least 2 Black districts, so this case is explicitly about reversing gerrymandering by requiring another Black majority district.
If they created 4 Black majority districts that would be gerrymandering. As it is, it’s about making a map that represents the population of the state (something the legislature is repeatedly refusing to do).
Currently 1 out of 7 of them are Black majority, while about 2/7 people in Alabama are Black. It’s illegal racial gerrymandering that keeps it this way.
2/7 people being black does not automatically mean that 2/7 districts should be Black majority. It really depends on how clustered together those 2/7 people are.
If they live evenly spread out in the state, zero of the districts should be Black majority. If they are clustered in big groups (racially divided districts), then it makes more sense for them to be a majority in some places.
As an outsider, I assume the racial divide is clear enough that dividing the districts by ethnicity makes some sense(?)
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TIL thanks to your post: Since ~2020 ethnicities are generally capitalised.
Racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and are capitalized. Therefore, use “Black” and “White” instead of “black” and “white” (do not use colors to refer to other human groups; doing so is considered pejorative)
https://blog.ongig.com/diversity-and-inclusion/capitalize-race/
Hilarious that capitalisation of a colour is suddenly supposed to make that word not be a colour. Yeah, if I’m writing white as White, it is definitely not a colour any more…
Any reasonable map would have at least 2 Black districts, so this case is explicitly about reversing gerrymandering by requiring another Black majority district.
Any reasonable map would ignore the racial make-up of the population and just be based on equal population. But both sides of US politics like the gerrymandering as it gives them safe seats they don't have to worry about and it destroys any attempt by Non- R or D candidates from having a hope of election.
I feel like there should have been a lot more consequences and a lot more outrage over the fact that the entire Republican government of Alabama just straight up said they're not complying with a Supreme Court decision.