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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeNewsArchivesA Voting Majority of Color Is Nothing New

A Voting Majority of Color Is Nothing New

Dear Source:
If registering to vote here solves the problem for any non-native born people to vote for the VI Constitution, then I say by God, register. If any person is so dedicated to this community then they should not have a problem giving up the right to vote elsewhere and register here. This is no different than native-born Virgin Islanders who cannot vote in the USA unless they give up the right to vote here in the islands.
Should we write every newspaper across the USA and tell them that the United States of America is prejudice against all of its US Territories' people by refusing to give us the right to vote for our President? Do you think we are not as equally concerned about what is taking place in Washington DC and with our nation because this is where we were born? Are we not equally concerned that the President we cannot vote for, has the authority to send our island's non-voting Americans to fight in Iraq? Do you think they are not native born Virgin Islanders living and paying taxes elsewhere, and still can't vote in the communities they live in unless they give up their rights here?
Mr. Clark, I hate to say this but with or without the VI Constitution coming into play, you came into a community in which the majority is people of color and has been that way for a very long time. How can racism suddenly exist because of the VI Constitution if this is and has been a fact for a very long time? The scales are not suddenly being unbalanced because of the VI Constitution. I am one of 6 generations, native born and white. My entire life has been spent living in a community in which the majority has been people of color. I have never known it to be any different and am banking on 45 yrs old. I too along with many others like myself have family living elsewhere that are also native born Virgin Islanders who do keep up with what is going on here all the time.
Before you decide to advise people to run to the presses screaming "racism", make sure the facts are straight. The rules will apply to all colors of native-born Virgin Islanders and the majority being people of color is nothing new.
As for Don Imus and the two senators that made racial comments, it goes to show you…ignorance can come in any color. I am sure the majority of people in the recall petitions were people of color and these senators refuse to accept the fact that our own Virgin Islanders are tired of the political nonsense and were standing up to it. The next senatorial elections may reflect how many remember exactly that.
Carol Berry
St. Thomas

Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.

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