Maas Errol, speaking of Pearnel, weh yuh noh tell wi who was involved in organising the attacks on the security forces before the election and while the IMF was meeting in JA ?

(A come chat crap bout Nain :rolleyes )

Things must be really be looking desperate for mid-term elections: : :rollin

Bush OKs Parks statue, urges renewal of Voting Rights Act

By Jennifer Loven
Associated Press
Published December 2, 2005

WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Thursday signed into law a bill directing that a statue of civil rights hero Rosa Parks go up in the Capitol's Statuary Hall, and he delighted today's black leaders by calling on Congress to renew the provisions of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act that are set to expire.

Bush credited Parks for helping to "set in motion a national movement for equality and freedom."

"Eventually the civil rights movement would succeed in persuading Congress to pass more sweeping legislation that dealt with voting rights and discrimination in public places, and school segregation," said the president. "And the United States Congress should renew the Voting Rights Act of 1965."

That declaration surprised many of the civil rights leaders, Parks relatives and politicians at the White House for the signing ceremony. They erupted in applause and rose to give Bush a standing ovation.

Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. praised Bush for committing to seeing the expiring portions of the Voting Rights Act extended. He called the president's public urging "a significant breakthrough" because the president had previously declined even in private to support the renewal.

"That was kind of a double victory for civil rights today," Jackson said.

The provisions that expire, in 2007, include one requiring states with a history of racial discrimination--mostly in the South--to get federal approval to change their voting laws or district lines and another requiring election officials to provide voting material in the native language of immigrant voters who don't speak English.

The 15th Amendment to the Constitution, adopted in 1870, guarantees voting rights for minorities. But the 1965 law clarified and extended those rights.

The bill Bush signed gives the Capitol Architect's office two years to obtain a statue.

"Bush warmly greeted the bill's sponsors, including Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) and his 2004 opponent for the presidency, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).

Copyright 2005, Chicago Tribune