FCB Faith is your rhythm and prey station. I listen, my mom listens, pretty much the whole family. I cannot, I cannot. I Canna. Said, don't, don't and no joke, don't. Listen to FCB Faith on iHeartRadio, Odyssey at faith dot com, or tell your smart speaker to play FCB Faith on iHeartRadio. The following is a presentation of FCB Faith. This is the Jeff Nick Show. Welcome to the Jeff Lorii Nick Show. And we are an informative talk show that is focused on finding solutions to today's problems to make our neighborhoods better, our communities better, US state, and this great nation. We're happy to have with us an exciting guest today who's going to share something regarding. Issue one, the Ohio Issue one. He's going to give us some insights on what Ohioans should expect, what we should be doing with regards to this very controversial issue issue Ohio. Okay, good morning, John Barnes, How are you today? Good reverend? How are you this morning? Oh doing just great? Tell us a little bit about Ohio's Issue one that's on this November bellot that's coming up just in a matter of days. Well, you know, first of all, everyone knows that Issue one is about jerry mandarin and it will radically change the Ohio system of government as it pertains to redistricting. First of all, I think it's important to note that almost no one that I know agrees with or supports the idea of jerry mandering. I don't, but Issue one is not the answer for Ohio currently under current law and for the history of the State of Ohio, pretty much the nation, we have operated based on the political philosophy of one person, one vote, meaning of course that with respect to redistricting, everyone should have the right to equal protection under law, and the eleven and a half million people in the state of Ohio would be considered as decisions are made about redistricting. Issue one would radically change that. Issue one would create a new method, not counting all eleven and a half million people, but would essentially count individuals who vote in partisan elections. And that's addition franchisement of all Ohio citizens. But in particular, Issue one has a provision and I for the first time, would allow the breaking up of the largest counties, which means that the the the consequence of that is a net impact on African American representation at a time when we have been in struggling on education, on economic development, on healthcare, on a myriad of issues that affect are unique to our communities. This would dilute and in fact eliminate African American seats. This is not the first time this has been tried. It was passed over in the state of Michigan. The results of Michigan has been a forty percent reduction in the representation in the Michigan Senate and a twenty percent reduction in the Michigan House of Representatives. In fact, something that similar passed over in Michigan for the first time in over seventy year years, Michigan no longer has an African American representing them in the United States Congress. And this is an initiative that have been brought by people who purport to represent our interests, and in fact, they have disregarded the loyalty that the African American community has had towards the Democratic Party and other interests. In fact, we have voted upwards of seventy five to eighty percent or more in national and local elections for Democratic Party and we're repaid by them concocting a proposition called Issue one that would dilute and in fact disenfranchised African American voters from their political influence. And that's wrong. That should not be like that. I agree with you, John, when you say that this Issue one is very confusing to voters. And because the Yes on one folks kind of started airing commercials quickly, and they've branded this as anti jerrymandering. And the official language says that if Issue one passes, it removes the restrictions that are placed on jerry manderin correct. Well, I mean it depends on what your definition of jerrymandering is. Actually Issue one would create more jerry mandarin because if you divide up the city of Cleveland, for instance, where you have upwards of fifty five sixty five percent plus African Americans, then you dilute that power. What happen is that the only way you can go is out into suburban communities. Well, you know, we know, you know, first of all, this is not this is not a racial issue as much as it is a fairness issue for the African American community, because African Americans typically vote Democratic. The net consequence of this is that you're going to dilute the Black Democrats, who typically don't vote in primary elections as much as as our counterparts. And because of that, you're you're going to lose many of those primaries. And that's what happened over in Michigan. So this is being marketed as an anti jerry mandarin initiative when it's anything. But that is a hijack, right, I agree with you. What I was saying was that it's actual language says that if this has passed, it would remove the restrictions that are placed on gerrymandering. So what what happened is that would allow the map drawers, the ones who draw the lines, map makers, to do whatever they want to do. That that that that is correct, and with respect to the African American community, to mention the people of color, it says that they would, they would, they would deal with those issues as much as could be allowed. What about so what? What? So? What what does that? What? What does what does that tell? You? Tells me that they're going to do basically whatever they want to do, and it depends on whatever whim desire the unvoted commission members have in their will or desire, And again I like what you said. One of the negative effects of this is that it takes the response. It removes the responsibility of. You know, one person, one vote. It removes that protection that we've had to have accountability to those individuals that we elect to do the work of drawing the maps. So by putting a commission in place, it just really dilutes the power of the individual voter, which is a real major concern. Can you speak to that with respect to answers with respect to answers that affect the African American community. What they added in specific language in referencing communities of concern pursuing to the Voting Rights Act and in fact says to the extent possible, to the extent possible, says to me, trust us, We'll do the right thing. We shouldn't have to trust if if, if you're creating a new law. And as a former legislator, the way that I always analyzed legislation was to look at what the outcomes with the consequence of voting for or against. And uh, you know, there's nothing in issue one that would justify anyone having it. I'm surprised that that that that because a lot of these organizations go around, UM supporting organizations with rubber chicken dinners. Uh that they somehow has convinced the leadership to support something that's so plainly wrong and against the African American community. Uh that the mere uh, the mere fact that some of them are supporting this is sad. And UH, you know, we stand on the shoulders of people like in Northeast Ohio like Congressman Stokes who who who's uh as a lawyer, filed lawsuits uh that helped create the the twenty first first when when when we were kids, reverend Uh. Then now the eleventh Congressional District, right, they they they have engaged with Issue one and to a process that I call ideological visuantieism. Uh. It's an effort by a lot of frustrated people who are so dissatisfied with some of the decisions that have been made by the legislature that they're saying, let's just blow the government up. We don't care about it, we don't care what people think. And and and for the African American community that that that's not a good thing, uh to to allow so an Issue one is asking people to do, is this they're asking you to give up to acquiesce your vote to a fifteen member commission of five Democrats, Republicans, and independents, people you neither know have elected and no accountability to make decisions about redistricting. Now here's the punchline. They have an unlimited amount on their American Express to fight citizens that they purport to have included in this, to deny them due process, to correct or to challenge any of the decisions that this commission has. In fact, under current law, everybody who sits on the board is elected, and because they can't or have not been able to elect anybody's statewide, that is why the makeup on that board is as as such. Where they're complaining, so they saying, Okay, what we're gonna do is we're going to hijack the whole process. That's not the way government should work. Issue one is dangerous. It's dangerous for the African American community. But what I always say, what's good for the African American community is good for all communities, and Issue one is bad for all our communities. Well said Darvo wanted to jump in here, No, I just wanted to to ask a little bit more about that. We've seen, as you mentioned in Michigan, they've done this and it was actually ended up going to court because black voters sued saying that there was a violation of the civil rights and voting rights. At talk talk a. Little bit about what the outcome could be for our community, in particular if this thing passes well. Former Representative SIERR Gnango who who and I have started a national organization, uh and our our focus is on Our focus is on assisting people to understand around the nation issues that that are coming up. And you know, she fought this over there and they she was one of the plaintiffs in one of the court cases that was filed and and they in fact laws and they're going to lose here in Ohio. And I can tell you that what what what I resent? Professionally resent? It's not personal, this is business. But would I professionally resent the fact that that we have been our community, that is, has been so loyal in supporting the Democratic Party that now all of a sudden that they're saying, trust us, give us your vote. Well, we have fought. When we look back to Jim Crow, when we look back uh at at at voting at one time, it wasn't one person, one vote. It was one man, one vote because women couldn't vote at that time. But but but black men at that time were fighting for their right to vote. Now, as a result of that, across the South, there were many individuals who were African American that then started to serve in the legislature and what have you, uh, and in Congress. So we have to be mindful of sticking to the basic principles that our forefathers set forth. I mean, you take you take now. At one time, I'm reverend you remember this. When we were coming up around around the congressmen and my dad and and and and pak Me and Forbes and all of these folks. What we saw is that they, the congressmen, would always say they're no permanent enemies, no permanent friends, just permanent interests. They have indoctrinated, in fact, brainwash people in in into who they want to identify as an enemy, who are Americans, and demonize the process. Right now, they're saying politicians, well, those politicians that they make reference to in the state of Ohio are individuals who make decisions on over one hundred billion dollars in the state of Ohio one hundred billions. So what Issue one is going to do? Uh, if it passed, and I'm going to do everything I can make sure it doesn't pass. For what Issue one would do is sort of create an imperial legislature of individuals who are appointed, not elected, not accountable, and have an unlimited amount of resources to fight anybody who questions. They're unlimited authority pursuing to this to this very very bad amendment. And what I'm most concerned with is that in this amendment, it focused on African American issues and simply makes a statement to the extent possible, we will do everything to consider that. That means nothing. It's insulting. And I call it again ideological visiantieism, because it's where people have taken in their own hands and gone around. I mean, I was at Shaker Square when someone approached me with a petition and they asked me. They said, okay, I was going into in today's supermarket. And this lady approached me. She said, you know, we're trying to get rid of redlining, right, And I'm looking at her and said, well, there is nothing like that going to be on the ballot. And I looked at it, I said, well, let me see your petition, and it was about gerrymandering. They went out and fooled a lot of people in designing a petition that they didn't understand. And the same way that they're marketing, Reverend, based on what you said in terms of marketing this thing as an anti gerry mandering. This is not an anti jerry mandering. This is a hijacking of political power. It's going to have a devastating impact on our community if we don't, if we're unsuccessful, and I can tell you that there are issues constitutionally about equal protection that I'm sure is going to be challenged. Thank you so much, Thank you so much, John Burns, vote no on Issue one. Thank you again for coming on the show. And we're going to share this with our listeners. And again John, we thank you again. Hope to have you back sometime. And I wanted to say thank you to our audience or listeners and let's all keep fighting a good fight and remember that we can all do our part to make this a better city, better state, nation, and God bless you all. Vote no, uness you want. This has been a presentation of the FCB podcast Network, where Real Talk Lives. Visit is online at Fcbpodcasts dot com. MHM
