VOTING RIGHTS
GOP Power Play: Redefine Who Counts as Black
Louisiana redistricting case argues against multi-racial choices
The “one drop rule” has been ingrained in America as a measure of white racial purity: One drop of Black blood means you are Black.
However, the number of white-only people is shrinking while multi-racial and Latino populations are rising. Now some GOP officials in states such a Louisiana want the federal government to exclude from the count those who chose Black and other races, especially Latino.
It’s all an effort to retain white political power. If the Supreme Court echoes this thinking, it will face even more denunciation as a partisan operation rather than a fair arbiter of our rights.
In Ardoin v. Robinson, the state is fighting against court rulings that it should redraw congressional maps to allow its 31 percent Black population greater clout in two of the six districts. There is now one majority-black district, which encompasses parts of New Orleans and Baton Rouge.
Lower courts found that even when using more limited definitions of “Black,” the state would still need to redraw the maps. The Supreme Court blocked that decision in June and allowed the state to use the disputed map this election season.
