South Dakota Ballot 2008

On August 6, 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson has signed one of the most important pieces of legislation in American history. For the first time, more than 2.5 million African Americans were able to vote in elections without fear, intimidation or physical violence. The Voting Rights Act abolished literacy tests, poll taxes, grandfather clauses and all other unnecessary requirements that had prevented African-Americans to have their voices heard in American politics.

However in 1965, very few Americans could not foresee the day when a person who was unable to vote until the Voting Rights Act, would receive enough votes to be elected to the highest office in the world in a country where African Americans are still very much in the minority. Following the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, have questioned the necessity of certain provisions of the Act the voting rights. The Northwest Austin (Texas) Municipal Utility District Number One, a government commission dedicated to providing local services to about 3,500 people, has recently appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Section 5 of the Act, calling it "the most invasive federal law in existence."

"The elephant in the room is what to do with the election of Obama," said Columbia law professor Nathaniel Persily. "Is it the election of the first African-American President undermined the fundamental rationale parts Act voting rights? "

In April, the U.S. Supreme Court will review a lower court decision that upheld section 5 of the Act the voting rights, which requires all or part of 16 states with a history of racism, be approved before the implementation of changes in election procedures. States affected include fully Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. Partially affected states are California, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Virginia and South Dakota.

However, the local government of Texas in the heart of this dispute claims they have no history of racial discrimination and many believe that America no longer need this legislation in a society "post-racial .

But what does the election of Obama heard? Has America completely over his past racist or racism is still an obstacle to true equality for people of color?

According defendersonline.org, a huge 131 million Americans to vote for next commander in chief in November 2008, an increase of eight per cent of the previous election in 2004. Obama received a total of 53 percent of the vote, which is a significant percentage given the election much closer in 2000 and 2004.

Afro-Americans accounted for 13 percent of voters against 11 percent in 2004, while Hispanics comprise nine percent of voters, an increase of one percent of the last presidential election. In addition, 95 percent of Americans voted for President-elect Barack Obama and 67 percent of Hispanics voted for the former senator from Illinois. More impressive still, Obama has been able to win 43 percent of the white vote, while Democrat John Kerry was only able to win more than 41 percent of the white vote four years earlier.

However, white voters were the only demographic that Obama has not been able to win the support of the majority. In addition, Obama could not get the support of 10 percent of white voters in Alabama. In addition, many Southern Democrats White said they would support Republican John McCain, because they could not bring themselves to vote for an African-American to the presidency.

Accordingly, Obama has been forced to seek protection from the secret service earlier than any other presidential candidate in history because of assassination threats. According to telegraph.co.uk, the Secret Service cat.