Making Black Voters Disappear

Jim Schutze has many statistical mistakes in this article according to the data that was shared with the Dallas City Council when the redistricting process started with them. See slides #69-71 in the presentation given to Dallas City Council on 9/7/2011 titled "Redistricting 2011: Process Review and Proposed Districting Plan." It is online at http://www.dallascityhall.com/...

Jim says the Hispanic population percentage was 35.6% in 2000 and grew to 43.1%The first number is correct. The second one should be 42.35%.

Jim says the white population percentage was 53% in 2000 and went down to 43.1%. These numbers are terribly wrong! The white population was only 34.56% in 2000 and by 2010 had fallen to only 28.82%!

Jim says the black population fell from 26.5% in 2000 to 22.3% in 2010.Both numbers are wrong again! The black population went from 25.65% in 2000 to 25.02% in 2010. That is hardly a significant change!! and certainly not a four percentage point drop! Again look at the above link to the slide show given city council members on 9/7/2011.

Jim was correct in indicating that "making black voters disappear" is the issue. But who did it? It appears it was people who wanted to maintain their council positions at all costs, even if it meant that the potential for another member of the racial/ethnic group they represented would be endangered, especially in the future. The cost paid was lower black percentages in the so-called "black districts."

In the approved map sent by the Redistricting Commission to the City Council the average black percentage in the three black districts was only 59.52%, over three percentage points below wPlan03 for average strength. By the time the final approved map was made this average percentage had fallen more, to below 57%! These low numbers, and the population movement patterns of the past decade, placed two of these three districts in danger of no longer being majority black by 2016, or sooner! In the trade off, one minority opportunity district was gained wherein a 45.19% black district existed making it "winnable" in the 2010 census. Given population changes in that area it is questionable if that "winnable" status remains today, and certainly questionable as to how long it will remain.

The majority of the 16,700 in black population that "disppeared" from the 4 districts now led by black councl members on the south side of Dallas is part of the 9,100 increase in black population in the 6 districts now led by white council members. Many from those 9,100 have moved into the black community east of Coit and Hwy 75 that is fragmented between districts 13, 11, & 10. The failure of the entire redistricting commission, and the city council, to recollect this "dissapeared" population into a black "winnable" district in North Dallas is the problem.

HUUR IM SO ANGRY BECAUSE I CANT INSULT BLACK PEOPLE BECAUSE OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS THAT DOESNT EXIST HURRR

this article was FAIL....I agree with Dickie Smythe, it is hard to read and follow along. Reporter gets F-

Should we even be saying the word "Black". I speak metaphorically, I hope. Good grief, the end result will always be the same.

This writer is awful at his job! This is so poorly written that it is difficult to read. Readers should disregard the topic and read it again and evaluate how painful it is to read.

How can you call someone uneducated? Your post wreaks of poor sentence structure, incorrect punctuation and misspellings. It's amazing how some are quick to criticize others but fail to realize just how ignorant they can appear.

IF WE COULD ONLY GET SO LUCKY

10 Thumbs down. Terribly written article. Not for the message, but the grammar and sentence structure.

Sounds just like Colorado and every other place in the USA. White people and black people and brown people and any other color you can drag out are sick and tired of being manipulated by politicians. Our voting districts are so manipulated it is terrible. Splitting counties and towns to be sure they are politically "balanced" is hogwash!! They are obviously trying to be sure "their" district gets who the committee wants voted in this time and who cares about later down the road? SICK!!

Are you suggesting Dallas has a lack of color in its city council and key leadership roles like City council, commissioner, mayor, DA, Assistant DAs? Are you really? Because that would be pretty ignorant. I think the per-capita break down of blacks in Dallas is over represented in the percentage of people of color who hold office. I am so sick of these. "Why is everybody always picking on poor black me" articles. They suck, and you suck for saying it, because A) It is not true, and B) You steal real thunder from real cases of racism. You know the little boy who cried wolf fable. Quotas suck, they are for those people who believe they are inferior, and can not compete on their own merits as a human being, and there by need some kind of a leg up to get posted. How ever with the likes of Lipscomb, and Ragsdale, and Price you may have a point there, It may be necessary to stack the deck in favor of the black vote to get people like these (IMHO criminals) elected into office.

Maybe my math is wrong but I get the following...

Hispanic - 43.1%Black - 22.3%White - 43.1%

Total - 108.5%

So not only have the demographics changed but this area has somehow created superhuman androids that can create population percentages over 100%. Amazing area this Dallas is. Or is it maybe this pissed off hack of a writer doesn't have a flippin clue what he is talking about?

black voters dont disappear,they become white/GOPhers

"Hispanic population in the city rose from 35.6 percent to 43.1 percent"

"What's going on with those white people? Hmm. Looks like they went down from 53 percent to only 43.1"

Can we consider ourselves a minority now? Don't call me white anymore, I am European American! Wait, 43.1% plus 43.1% plus 22.3%.......

Hmmmm, guess he adds as well as he writes.

BTW "We will take it as a given that the whites are not going to give up any seats, even though they are the ones who have lost the most ground populationwise. Why are they not going to give up any seats? Hey, we're not in Sunday school any more. When did you last see white people give up anything?"

Racist? My bad only whites can be racist.

Jim, you're writing is terrible. It's like reading the gibberish my 4 year old would mouth off to me when he's on a sugar rush. t-t-t-today Jr! get to the point. It's all racist, is that the point? if Dallas city council is involved then it's all about race. They should all be fired anyway.

The only thing that can kill a lie is the truth....Why does that seem to bother our White People when they know there own History....How can u trust someone that has proven to be a liar...Or forgive someone that has never admitted to doing wrong....Thank God for grace that we can forgive the unforgiveable and Heal and have true Freedom...........I feel sorry for any Race of people that cannot deal with Facts....and be strong enough to bring about Change...

Hey didn't you hear the Prez,stop whining!

Hardly a true democracy when you have to jerry-mander the districts to get someone elected. Eddie "give the money to my family" B. Johnson is a prime example. With DPD now answering calls in the groove with 2/2 man units speaks volumes for what the idiot has done for her district.

I’m black and I can tell you that I’ve always voted for the black candidate when one is available. And you guys can tell me you don’t do the same… this doesn’t change anything and this guy is just trying to be relevant. Dallas is mostly Black on one side and not the other. Give me a break.

This is only a concern if blacks vote monolithically. If there is diversity in their vote, this is not really an issue. But if they only vote one predictable way, where skin color is a better predictor of voting preference than is any other factor, then I can see the author's concern.

This guy is an idiot trying to stir up more race war. Don't let him rile you up while he sits behind a computer with his liberal head up his ass.

It's funny you guys have a headline which reads "Making Black Voters Disappear." Your newspaper along with every other white owned mainstream or alternative news median are making Black reporters disappear, with your white Affirmative Action ways of hiring whites only. Try again friend.

Only in the United States;racist,mexican,white guy,black people,just a query from the far north,can't you just draw your voting districts by population and availible school seats like every other westerndemocracy.

Maybe we need to making voting cheaper. You know, so the poor people can do it too?

i understand that black people have experienced racism but for a black person to say that white's haven't experienced racism too is ludicrous. Look around at all of the black only groups, clubs, tv stations, colleges, loans, awards etc. whites have experienced racism in every facet of today's society as well. want just a few examples? Jet magazine, NAACP, NNCF, the image awards, BET television, the thurgood marshal college fund, there are several black ONLY colleges, affirmative action. need i go on? not saying racism is right on either side, just illuminating both sides of the field.

If a black or hispanic could when the district then why re-district the area? Why are they still promoting segration?

Yes...after 50 years I can be.

To DADA:Clearly, you have never experienced true racism. It’s easy to rationalize issues when you’re “doing okay.” What tool do you use to measure the “best” person – school, association, residence, economic status, - what? Here is a suggestion. Pretend that you are a minority. What do you want? What do you need? Why is it important? What steps are you going to take to ensure that your wants and needs are seriously taken into consideration and acted upon?

I’m 61 years old and lived through a segregated society in America. The superintendent was always Anglo American, and by all qualifications, the best man for the job – for Anglo Americans. You’re right when you say that we must hire the best person for the job. In my case, the best person was always white. We saw the same “crap” when city officials were elected or any position of importance was filled with the “best” person. The only difference,a few years back, was that only Anglo Americans were allowed to vote and clearly, the people who represented the city and all of the schools represented only the majority of the students enrolled and decisions were made based upon that premise. Someone once said that if you forget your history, you’re doomed to repeat it. The Bible also tells us plainly that God is not mock; whatsoever ye soweth, that shall ye also repeapeth. Noting is new under the sun. Where we are now is where we’ve been and when we try to understand each other, that is when we will start understanding each other. We all have the same problems in our cultures – crimes (domestic and foreign). It would be so nice to see all of these posts beginning with “Hey, I have an idea about how we can solve this problem….” And the idea is put forth without malice or condescending language. It's okay to be anry and it's okay to vent, but at the end of the day, "can't we all just try to get along!" (smile)

To: Bfine77Clearly your own command of the English language shows your intense respect for illiteracy. Let me see if I can evaluate your “king’s” English! Sentences begin with capital letters, express complete thoughts, have subjects and predicates, and commas are very useful when a “pause” is needed. The word “God” should always be capitalized when referencing our Deity and should not be used in vain. How do you know what is for or is not for “God’s sake.

A language that is sufficient for communication, including colloquialism (an informal word or phrase that is more common in conversation than in formal speech or writing), only makes the person who can’t understand it appear to be stupid or uneducated. For example, the southern language (mainly Anglo American) is often made fun of by northerners, and many who use it in general and formal conversations are viewed upon as stupid and uneducated. The word that you seek to use is “nitpick,” which means to be excessively concerned with or critical of inconsequential details. Sir/Madame, I believe that your use of this word is self-serving since you have no idea about what is important to the people who reside in these areas.

So that you don’t go lacking in the history of African American communities and the crimes against them, may I suggest that you start with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R..., and travel backwards and forwards to get a real understanding of the contributions of African American/Blacks in this country. Also, check out among other categories, the many invaluable contributions made to this society and world by Black Inventors and explorers (signal light, blood plasma, sugar processing, and et cetera). Remember, when you point a finger at someone else, there are three pointed back at you! Maybe (not maybee), if you’d begin with yourself in getting an education (about your history and how it has affected others), you’d be able to contribute constructively instead of pointing that deadly finger at people you don’t know!

really! is this what people do. set around and find things to nick pick about.im mean if you want to nick pick did you know that areas that are are primarily black have a HUGE crime rate as opposed to white or latino. cant deny that.maybee just maybee if the black comunity spent a little more time cleaning up the the areas they have trashed and a lot less time complaining about representation they might get a leg up.and for gods sake learn how to speak english correctly.ebonics is not a language to be proud of it makes people look stupid and uneducated.

It's always about race -- never about personal responsibility!

Great article on making black voters disappear. Now...how do I make my white redneck neighbors do the same?

http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/2...

The jobs lost that will never come back--white liberal is the same as white conservatism--your are what history defines as libertines--a person/culture of immoral restraint--look at your history.