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From YouTube: Hezekiah Rankin (Buncombe Community Remembrance Project Historical Markers' Installation Ceremony)
Description
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A
We
want
to
thank
those
that
have
followed
us
to
all
three
locations
and,
of
course,
now
that
we're
at
the
last
location,
the
sun
is
trying
to
come
out
and
the
rain
is
stopping,
but
we
will
carry
on.
This
is
our
last
site,
so
we're
going
to
open
with
a
prayer.
B
B
We
are
so
grateful
today,
oh
great
god,
for
coming
together,
because
we
can
feel
the
energy
from
each
other
and
we're
so
much
better
together
and
now,
as
we
come
to
dedicate
this
third
site,
we
ask
now
your
blessings
and
may
this
be
a
perpetual
memorial
to
all
who
will
see
it
that
injustice
anywhere
is
injustice
everywhere.
Thank
you
for
allowing
us
to
be
alive
to
be
a
part
of
a
living
solution
in
jesus
name.
We
pray,
amen.
D
To
have
the
right
to
decide
our
nation's
future
in
this
country.
Felony
convictions
do
not
take
away
that
citizenship,
but
they
do
take
away
that
right.
Felony
disenfranchisement
is
the
restriction
or
elimination
of
voting
rights.
Second,
amendment
rights
and
other
benefits
of
citizenship
for
convicted
felons
once
released
from
jail.
Ex-Felons
a
population
disproportionately
made
up
of
poc.
Typically
black
americans
lose
enfranchisement
indefinitely
in
the
united
states.
D
Felony
disenfranchisement
originated
in
north
america,
from
english
colonial
common
law
practices
called
civil
death,
which
are
retracting
voting
rights
for
glaring
moral
offenses.
After
the
american
revolution,
however,
states
began
disenfranchising
all
felons
post-civil
war
in
response
to
the
brief
period
of
african-american
prosperity
known
as
the
reconstruction.
Many
state
governments
turned
to
disenfranchisement
to
benefit
their
racist
interests.
D
Alabama
was
flagrant
in
suppressing
the
black
vote.
With
the
author
of
their
disenfranchisement
provision,
stating
that
quote
the
crime
of
wife,
beating
alone,
would
disqualify
60
percent
of
the
negroes
unquote.
South
carolina
began
disenfranchising
people
who
committed
what
they
referred
to
as
black
crimes.
D
They
said
those
were
thievery,
adultery,
arson,
wife,
beating
house
breaking
and
attempted
rape,
but
not
those
convicted
of
murder
or
fighting
these
racist
implementations
led
to
the
unbalanced
elimination
of
voting
rights
for
black
americans
in
north
carolina.
The
racist
motives
behind
widespread
felony
disenfranchisement
could
not
be
more
clear
before
the
1860s
north
carolina
disenfranchised
only
those
of
what
were
termed
as
infamous
crimes
after
the
civil
war
and
reconstruction.
D
An
extensive
movement
organized
by
former
rebels
convicted
black
north
carolinians
of
infamous
crimes,
with
quote
the
express
goal
of
preventing
african
americans
from
being
able
to
vote
further
north
carolina
added
felony
disenfranchisement
to
the
state
constitution
in
1877,
with
the
sole
objective
of
quote
neutering.
The
gains
of
the
radical
reconstruction,
particularly
the
advances
of
the
15th
amendment,
which
gave
which
gave
black
men
the
right
to
vote.
D
Detrimental
repercussions
from
these
centuries-old
laws
continue
to
contribute
to
the
racially
discriminatory
incarceration
and
felony
disenfranchisement
policies
that
we
see
today.
Black
people
have
a
five-fold
chance
of
incarceration
compared
to
their
white
peers
with
significantly
longer
sentences.
D
Black
men
are
sentenced
to
20
longer
sentences
than
white
men
for
the
same
crimes,
and
they
are
64
percent,
more
likely
to
be
charged
with
a
mandatory
minimum
sentence
than
their
white
counterparts
when
committing
the
same
crime
imprisonment
funnels
directly
into
disenfranchisement,
with
an
average
of
one
in
16
african
americans,
aged
18
or
older
stripped
of
their
voting
rights.
This
is
3.7
times
greater
than
the
rate
of
non-african
american
adults.
D
Racial
discrepancies
in
the
u.s
prison
and
disenfranchisement
systems
have
prompted
much
discussion
on
whether
these
policies
and
practices
honor
the
foundations
of
this
country.
The
constitutional
debate
surrounding
felony
disenfranchisement
is
passionate
on
both
sides.
While
it
is
undoubtedly
undemocratic,
does
it
violate
the
u.s
constitution.
D
D
This
is
a
compelling
argument
only
if
we
disregard
the
rest
of
section
2,
as
it
continuously
refers
to
the
united
states
voting
body
as
male
citizens.
21
years
of
age,
the
united
states
no
longer
restricts
enfranchisement
to
white
21
year
old
men.
Nor
do
we
adhere
to
the
moral
ideologies
of
the
1860s.
D
Therefore,
the
u.s
should
not
continue
to
uphold
this
antiquated
section
of
the
14th
amendment.
Voting
disqualification
should
be
abolished,
for
it
goes
against
strides
this
nation
has
made
in
regards
to
civil
rights.
The
united
states
prides
itself
on
civil
rights,
advocacy
citizens
rights
to
political
and
social
freedom
inequality.
However,
the
u.s
falls
short
considering.
Millions
of
american
citizens
are
forbidden
to
vote,
even
though
they
are
required
to
pay
tax
in
taxes
while
imprisoned
the
cry
for
no
taxation
without
representation
rings.
D
True
in
2021,
as
in
1773
and
while
felons
are
counted
in
population
totals
for
their
jails,
districts
resulting
in
more
representation
for
the
surrounding
community.
They
have
no
say
in
who
that
representation
is?
The
u.s
cannot
claim
to
support
civil
rights
if
the
very
policies
it
has
in
place
effectively
destroy
them.
D
D
The
united
states
has
much
work
to
do
to
ensure
equity
in
our
nation.
Millions
of
engaged,
tax-paying
census,
counting
american
citizens
are
outlawed
from
voting.
Felony
disenfranchisement
contradicts
everything.
Our
country
claims
to
honor,
fair
free
elections,
political
and
social
equality,
strong
morals
and
progressive
ideologies.
Stripping
ex-felons
of
their
right
to
vote
is
undemocratic,
unethical
and
un-american.
E
On
the
evening
of
september,
24th
1891
hezekiah
rankin
was
accused
of
shooting
fred
a
taylor,
a
white
co-worker
with
the
western
north
carolina
railroad,
an
altercation
between
the
men
began
after
mr
rankin
was
asked
to
perform
duties
unrelated
to
his
job
during
the
altercation.
Mr
taylor
assaulted,
mr
rankin,
who
allegedly
left
the
scene
and
returned
later
with
a
gun.
E
E
F
F
F
Dr
joseph
fox,
thank
you
so
much
for
allowing
us
to
work
with
you.
Do
we
need
to
thank
our
funders
and
supporters?
It's
one
last
time
for
helping
to
make
this
program
possible.
A
Once
again,
we
want
to
thank
the
community
foundation
of
western
north
carolina.
We
want
to
thank
the
van
winkle
law
firm.
We
want
to
thank
the
dogwood
health
trust
fund
and
we
want
to
thank
community
leaders
and
residents
that
donated
on
behalf
of
the
eji
project.
We
will
conclude
with
a
final
prayer
from
reverend
brett
laprance
edwards.
B
Let
us
pray
now,
lord.
We
dedicate
this
third
sign
in
memorial
as
a
sign
to
service
in
memorial
as
a
sign
to
the
great
history
that
has
been
laid
by
those
that
have
come
before
us
now
in
the
21st
century.
It's
our
turn
to
serve.
May
we
leave
this
place
ever
empowered
to
make
that
difference
in
the
life
of
each
human
being
one
heart
at
a
time.
We
ask
these
blessings
in
jesus
name,
and
can
we
close
by
saying
reach
out
and
touch.