September 18, 2013

36th District

Reston, Virginia

With Fred Haise, Apollo 13 astronaut and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, at Northern Virginia Community College Foundation Recognition Dinner.

Delegate Ken Plum's

Virginia e-News

Commentary

Voter Suppression

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum

As fundamental as the right to vote is to a democratic republic, free and open access to voting continues to be a contentious issue. From the earliest days of our nation's history when only white male landowners could vote to recent history when the Voting Rights Act was intended to ensure that voter registration processes were open and fair, there have been expansions of the suffrage followed by efforts at retrenchment. While the Emancipation Proclamation may have freed the slaves, African Americans and other minorities have seen a steady stream of legislation and intimidation to keep them from voting.

When those in power are threatened at the ballot box, one response has been to try to redefine the electorate. When newly enfranchised slaves had the potential to upset the whites in power, various Jim Crow laws including poll taxes, literacy tests and other means were devised to keep African Americans from voting. These obstructions to African American voters continued until the 1970s in Virginia. Unfortunately, efforts to suppress the vote are not a matter of history; they continue to today. Just as Democrats used voter suppression methods in the past, Republicans seeking to hang onto power in the red states are using them today. Under the guise of preventing voter fraud, a number of laws have been passed in recent years that do not eliminate the phantom fraud but instead add obstacles to voting procedures that hinder such groups as minorities who are not likely to vote for the party in power. No evidence has been produced to prove that fraud has been committed in voter registration or in casting ballots; the only fraud has been in the party in power counting the ballots to always be in their favor.

A series of bills have been introduced in Virginia in recent years to make voter registration easier and to make the act of voting more open and accessible. Most of these bills have been defeated. Bills, however, to complicate the voting process with personal identification requirements have succeeded. Major campaigns are needed to ensure that voters are educated and confident in going to the polls and voting. The real concern in Virginia need not be that people are voting fraudulently. The concern needs to be that too few people vote; Virginia has one of the lowest rates of voter participation in the nation.

Aside from the laws that needlessly complicate the voting process and suppress the vote, another clear concern is that political campaigning turns off so many people that they simply choose not to vote. After months of charges and counter-charges, endless television commercials, robo telephone calls, and mailboxes full of slick fliers, some people simply throw up their hands and decide not to vote.

Overcoming voter suppression means that we work for better laws on registering and voting. It means also that we keep our families, friends and neighbors engaged in the process to survive the campaigns and vote.

Virginia Report on Comcast Channel 28

Virginia Report Tune in to Ken's weekly television program, Virginia Report, on Reston Comcast Channel 28 for public service programming. Ken interviews state and local leaders who are making news by making a difference. Watch these upcoming programs:

TONIGHT - Wednesday, September 18 at 10:30 p.m. - Mary Bogle Malzahn, Bogle Consulting, LLC, "Collective Impact Planning"

Tuesday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, September 25 at 10:30 p.m. - Katie Blomquist, Fairfax County Public Schools, 2013 Virginia History Teacher of the Year

"Virginia Report" is also available online at www.rctv28.com/virginiareport.html for viewing on your computer or iPad.

Bulletin Board

Metro's Silver Line will provide rail travel to five new stations

in the Corridor, as well as to great destinations in D.C. and Maryland. Coupled with integrated bus service, it will provide high-quality, high-capacity transit service along the Dulles Corridor in two phases. Make your plans to use the Silver Line by going to silverlinemetro.com.

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Register and allow your employees or members to wear jeans to work on Friday, October 18, in exchange for a $5 employee contribution to the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness! Businesses register at the level based on your number of employees. Businesses make a minimal commitment when they register. For more information contact Chamber Vice President, Communications KayAnn Schoeneman at KSchoeneman@fairfaxchamber.org or 703-752-7526. Click Here To Register Your Company Now!

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Calendar of Events

Tomorrow: The No More Names Bus Tour is coming to D.C., Thursday, September 19 at 10:30 a.m. The No More Names tour is bringing the call for common sense gun laws directly to the Capitol, at 1st and East Capitol Streets. Sign up here to join the rally: No More Names.

Friday, September 20 at 7:00 p.m., United Christian Parish of Reston will be showing the film, A Place at the Table. UCP is located at 11508 North Shore Drive in Reston. This event is free. Please consider donating an item of food to go to a local food pantry.

TREEmendous Forest Festival, Saturday, September 21, noon to 4:00 p.m. at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly. Healing the forest leads to healthier lives and gardens. This is the basic concept behind the Fairfax County Park Authority's new Helping Our Land Heal initiative. TREEmendous Forest Festival is a family-friendly outreach event the public is invited to attend to celebrate the benefits of healthy forests. Admission is free; some activities are fee-based. More information is at: TREEmendous Forest Festival.

Saturday, September 21, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., Understanding the Health Insurance Marketplace in Virginia. Arlington Central Library, First Floor, 1015 N. Quincy Street. For more information call 703-486-1010.

September 20-22: The KORUS Festival brings together Koreans, Americans and other community members in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area to celebrate Korean culture. Many aspects of Korea's vibrant and unique culture will be on display in the form of music, dance, food and on-stage performances. For more information contact Jennifer Oh at daavmedia@gmail.com.

September 21-22, Green Festival at the Washington, D.C. Convention Center. A two-day festival of fun and inspiration for sustainability and social justice. For a full preview booklet, click here: Green Festival 2013.

Saturday, September 21, Ribbon Cutting for the new 2013 Midtown Community Mural located in the Reston Town Center, 10:00 a.m. to noon, followed by a 1:00 p.m. artist seminar. Visit facebook.com/FriendsOfMidtownCommunityMural for more information.

Governor's First Biennial Natural Resources and Energy Law Symposium on Monday, September 23 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon, VA. Symposium addresses "The Future of Energy" and brings all sides together for rational discussion about legal barriers and solutions to some of the country's most pressing energy challenges. For more information, visit Governor's Natural Resources and Energy Law Symposium.

Thursday, September 26, 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Let's Move the Needle on Childhood Obesity at the Westfields Marriott Washington Dulles, 14750 Conference Center Drive, Chantilly. To learn more and to register, click here.

Thursday, September 26, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., 2013 Vendor Forum. Small business owners and those interested in starting a small business in Fairfax County should plan to attend the 2013 Vendor Forum at the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax. More information can be found at this link: Vendor Forum.

Thursday, September 26, 7:00 to 9:30 p.m., "Changing the Conversation: America's Gun Violence Epidemic." Delegate Ken Plum will be the keynote speaker for the first of a three-part series at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton. Seating capacity is 50; for advance registration priority, call 703-281-4230.

Portrait of a 21st Century Graduate and School System, Saturday September 28, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Parents, students, and community members are invited to attend the fourth annual Education Summit with Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Karen Garza as the keynote speaker. This free event will be held at Edison High School, 5801 Franconia Road in Alexandria. More information is at http://www.fcps.edu/news/summit.shtml.

Saturday, September 28, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Social Action Linking Together (SALT), "Meet and Greet With Your Legislators and Candidates" for state offices in the fall election. Keynote Speaker Michael Petit, president of Every Child Matters Education Fund, will speak on "Time to Invest in Virginia's Children: Every Virginia Child Matters." At the American Legion Post 180, Patriot Hall, 330 Center Street North, Vienna. For more information visit Meet and Greet .

Saturday, September 28, Reston Multicultural Festival, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Lake Anne Plaza, 1609 Washington Plaza, Reston. The festival is a celebration of the diversity and community spirit that is found in Reston. Everyone is encouraged to dress in attire from their own cultural roots. Information is at www.restoncommunitycenter.com/MulticulturalFestival.

Wednesday, October 2, 8:30 a.m. to noon, A Policy Path to Double Energy Productivity: State and Local Success Stories. Russell Senate Office Building, Room 325, Washington, D.C. Find information and register here.

Mayflowers Reston Town Center Help the Homeless Walk, Thursday, October 3 at 12:00 noon at the Promenade Reston Town Center. Take a lunchtime walk to help end homelessness! The half-mile route begins at Mayflowers, A Floral Design Studio on the Promenade, passing the Embry Rucker Community Shelter along the way where 70 residents find emergency shelter until they are successfully housed with assistance of Cornerstones, formerly Reston Interfaith. All walkers must pre-register; click here.

Virginia Immigrant Advocates Summit, Friday, October 4, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Annandale United Methodist Church, 6935 Columbia Pike in Annandale. Visit VA Immigrant Advocates Summit for details.

Thursday, October 10, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Newcomer's Night, Reston Association, for more information, visit Newcomer's Night.

The Governor's Conference on Energy, October 15-17, Greater Richmond Convention Center, sponsored by the Virginia Chamber of commerce. Find more information at Governor's Conference on Energy.

Policy Forum on Income Inequality, Thursday, October 17, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), 4301 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington. More information is at Policy Forum on Income Inequality .

Saturday, October 19, Fall Stream Cleanup, 9:00 a.m. to noon.

All ages are welcome. Rain or shine. Details are at stream cleanup.

Saturday, October 19, Reston Home Tour from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. With tickets purchased from Reston Museum, you can tour the inside of five outstanding private homes in Reston's unique neighborhoods. All proceeds benefit Reston Historic Trust which operates Reston Museum. Visit Reston Museum for details.

Friday, October 25, Halloween House and Trick or Treat Trail, 6:00 to 9:00 p.m., tickets go on sale September 30. Visit Halloween House & Trick or Treat Trail for more information.

Festival on the Square, Sunday, October 27, noon to 4:00 p.m. Reston Heights, 11790 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston. For details visit thefestivalonthesquare.com.

Annual Community Walk to End Homelessness, Sunday, October 27. A part of Festival on the Square, featuring family fun and entertainment. Walk along the trails from the Hotels at Reston Heights on Sunrise Valley Drive, to Hunters Woods Village Center, and back for approximately 3 miles or you can walk halfway and do a 1.5 mile route. All walkers must pre-register; click here.

Deadline to apply for an absentee ballot to vote by mail is October 29, 5:00 p.m. Last day to vote in-person is November 2. More information is at Absentee Voting. If you are not registered, you can register online.

Tuesday, November 5, Election Day. Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit State Board of Elections.

Saturday, November 9, 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Ninth Annual Fairfax County History Conference, "Voices for Freedom: Abolitionists, Oral History and Documenting the Past." At the Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax. For more information, contact Lynne Garvey-Hodge at 703-322-1811 or lynnegarveyhodge@verizon.net.

Tuesday, November 12, Devotion to Children's 11th Annual Red, Heart, and Soul Benefit Gala. At the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Visit Red, Heart, and Soul Benefit Gala to register.

Wednesday, November 13, Bullying and Violence Prevention Symposium at Fairfax Community Church, 11451 Braddock Road in Fairfax. The keynote speaker will present research on emotional regulation difficulties and evidence-based therapies, with a panel discussion on effectively training youth to understand and manage their emotions to reduce conflict and aggression. More information is at www.fairfaxyouth.org.

Saturday, November 16, A Taste of Fall with FACETS, at Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center, 3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax. Register at www.FacetsCares.org; early bird ticket pricing ends Friday, September 20.

Governor's Transportation Conference, December 4-6, 2013, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, 403 North Third Street, Richmond. Visit www.vatranscon.com for further information and to sign up to receive conference updates.

In This Issue

Commentary..Voter Suppression"

"Virginia Report" on Comcast Channel 28

Bulletin Board

Check Your Calendar

Delegate Kenneth R. "Ken" Plum

Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia E-News

703-758-9733 * kenplum@aol.com * www.kenplum.com

*Delegate Ken Plum's Virginia e-News* is authorized by Kenneth R. Plum and paid for by Friends of Delegate Ken Plum.**