Photo ID bills

We should all be grateful to State Rep. Stacey Newman (Commentary, “Photo ID bills endanger voters’ rights,” Jan. 18) for her continuing efforts to oppose voter photo ID bills.

In 2006, when the Missouri Legislature passed a bill that would require a photo ID in order to vote, members of Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice filed a friend of the court brief in opposition to the measure. We were joined in this effort by the Jewish Community Relations Council, the Missouri Women’s Coalition, the state chapter of the National Organization for Women, and 37 million members of the AARP.

The Missouri Supreme Court found the law unconstitutional then, and it’s still unconstitutional today.


Why our legislators continue to propose this measure is baffling. There has never been a case of voter impersonation fraud in Missouri. It’s nothing but a poll tax in disguise.

Responsible law-makers would focus on the issues that really matter to Missourians: jobs, education, health care, the environment. But I guess it’s a lot easier to try to keep people from the polls.



Barbara L. Finch, Former President


Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, St. Louis

 

Wash. U students statement on United States-Israel

We, as student leaders of Washington University in St. Louis, support the relationship between the United States and the State of Israel. Our support for this bond stems from the recognition that Israel is a strategic asset to the United States. Israel and the United States share the mutual values of democracy, liberty, freedom of conscience, and equal rights for all people regardless of race, gender, religion or sexual orientation. We are proud to be citizens of a country who stands in solidarity with Israel.

John Harrison York, Student Union President

Cody Katz, Student Union VP Finance

Nathan Brodell, Junior Class President

Harry Kainen, Sophomore Class Treasurer

Emma Tyler, Freshman Class President

Andy Lee, Freshman Class EVP

Jodi Small, Freshman Class IVP

Michael Cohen, Treasury Representative

Daniel Bernard, Treasury Representative

Greg Porter, Treasury Representative

Jake Lichtenfeld, Treasury Representative

Jeffery Morris, Student Union Senator

Dan Robinson, Student Union Senator

Jeremy Sherman, Student Union Senator

Sami Alpert, Alpha Phi President

Leora Allen, Jewish Student Union President

Justin Eisenberg, Chabad Students Association President

Brett Kopin, Treasury Representative

Amanda Leb, Alpha Epsilon Phi President

Jennifer Speilman, Pi Beta Phi Philanthropy VP

Alix Simnock, Alpha Phi VP

Sam Knopf, Sigma Alpha Epsilon President

Mary Julia Bressman, Alpha Omicron Pi President

Molly Simon, Alpha Phi VP Marketing

Jessica Oynick, Student Health Advisory Committee Recruitment Chair

Bradley Baskir, WU Students Promoting American Israeli Relations VP

Ari Rosentauch, VP Chabad Student Association Treasurer

Adina Allen, Wash U Students for Israel President

Michelle Peleg, Wash U Students for Israel Political Chair