Supreme Court Not Enough to Stop Eric Holder

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  U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has been on a discrimination lobby as of late, first with angry words about the Zimmerman verdict and now again with an attack on the new voting law in Texas.  On Thursday July 25, holder called for congress to renew voter protections in the wake of this year’s Supreme Court decision to overturn the restrictions to states with histories of discrimination when it comes to voting laws.  Although it is not the first time Holder has stirred controversy among conservatives over issues of race, the call for justice against stand your ground laws after the Trevon Martin shooting and the attack on voting laws may have Texans particularly upset.

  Holder announced the Justice Department intends to ask a Texas court to implement a provision similar to the law that the court just struck down, where Texas would need to seek approval from the Federal government before making any changes to voting procedures.  The most recent law requires a photo ID for anyone to vote, and obtaining one requires proof of citizenship and residency.  The law is controversial because critics say it restricts access for voters who do not have photo identification, many of whom are minorities.  Eleven states have passed similar laws, but Holder says that Texas in particular has a history of discrimination and has already filed suit against the law.

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  Texas is issuing free photo identification to anyone who does not have one.  Over 90% of voters have a driver’s license, which qualifies, so in one perspective the law seems benign.  While critics write Eric Holder off as frivolous and politically motivated, however, the controversy that surrounds him shows one fairly obvious trend: race is still an issue in America.  EricHolder discusses race issues with a frankness that makes people uncomfortable and people venomous.  Voter ID laws suggest discriminatory motivation and rather than own up to it, people become angry.  Eric Holder is able to use popular  media cases to bring forth a debate that most people prefer to pretend doesn’t exist.