ColorOfChange.org changing the color of democracy

Are voter ID laws racist? This question takes center stage in this video segment produced by True the Vote 2012, a Tea Party affiliated group focused on "...examining the registry, recruiting, training and mobilizing election workers and poll watchers." True the Vote is an outgrowth of the Tea Party Patriots, a Houston-based group whose goals are akin to those of Jim Crow-era pollwatchers. The group uses voter intimidation tactics, driven by its unfounded belief that voter fraud runs rampant and threatens democracy.

As you'll see in the clip, a staffer from the conservative Media Research Center asks a series of Black respondents, "Do you think you should have to show ID when you go to vote?" Unsurprisingly, the majority of the respondents say yes. What's wrong with having to prove you are who you say you are?

According to Caitlyn Korb, Director of External Affairs at the American Legislative Exchange Council, her employer has been "getting absolutely killed in social media venues" ever since ColorOfChange members began calling on corporations to stop funding ALEC. Check out this video, which is excerpted from the Heritage Foundation's weekly bloggers briefing.

In it, Korb works hard to mislead her audience about our efforts. Around 1:45, she alleges that ColorOfChange and our partners have said that ALEC "killed Trayvon Martin." The cynical and dishonest allegations abound. But nowhere does she mention ALEC's involvement in discriminatory voter ID laws or so-called "stand your ground" legislation, even though the group just backed away from the task force that created the model bills...

Yesterday, ColorOfChange got word that Yum! Brands — owners of KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut — has left the American Legislative Exchange Council. Earlier this week, ColorOfChange members started calling Yum and urging the corporation leave the conservative policy group that's pushed discriminatory Stand Your Ground and voter ID laws. Turns out, the company has decided to do just that.

Yum! Brands joins 11 other companies that have announced in recent weeks that they're no longer members of ALEC. This after ColorOfChange launched our effort to shed light on the group's work and its impact on our communities. Stay tuned for more updates as our campaign picks up steam.

Today The New York Times editorial board highlighted the work of ColorOfChange and our partners to convince ALEC's corporate sponsors to abandon the right-wing policy group. In an editorial titled "Embarrassed by Bad Laws," the NYT calls out the organization's hollow efforts to defend itself.

Despite clear evidence that ALEC has pushed voter ID bills and Kill at Will laws, the organization has said, "it is only interested in job creation, government accountability and pro-business policies." Check out the full NYT piece here, and take a look at our response to ALEC's latest statement.

This week, ColorOfChange announced a partnership with our friends at The Root to educate, register, and mobilize African-American voters.  As part of the lead up to the 2012 election, ColorOfChange will feature our new online voter registration tool at TheRoot.com -- an online hub for Black news and perspective that reaches an average of 1.4 million viewers monthly.

Be sure to check out the new voter registration tool at The Root. Just scroll down to the bottom of the homepage to register with a quick click. And keep visiting TheRoot.com and ColorOfChange.org for more news as we near the 2012 election.

ColorOfChange applauds Mars Inc.'s decision to end it's membership with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

Today, Mars -- makers of Snickers, M&M's and MilkyWay amoung other products -- becomes the seventh company to sever ties with the right-wing group. ColorOfChange began communicating with Mars in January. Today's announcement confirms that when corporations become educated about ALEC's role in pushing voter suppression and Kill at Will bills, they realize that association with ALEC is bad for business.

ColorOfChange applauds fast-food giant Wendy's decision to end its membership with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

Wendy's joins McDonald's, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kraft Foods and Intuit on the list of companies that has parted ways with ALEC since ColorOfChange launched its effort late last year.

UPDATE (04/10/2012): ColorOfChange applauds McDonald's decision to end its membership in ALEC.

UPDATE: ColorOfChange responds to reports that McDonald's has ended its membership in ALEC. 

Today, State Farm, Johnson & Johnson and McDonald's have all been receiving phone calls from ColorOfChange members and allies. Hundreds of people are making calls to the three new corporations to demand that the companies stop funding ALEC, the conservative policy group behind voter suppression and "Shoot First" bills. In Florida, the so-called "Stand your Ground" law -- the prototype for ALEC's model legislation -- has been used to defend the actoins of Trayvon Martin's killer.

On Monday, Executive Director Rashad Robinson spoke with Jennifer Granholm of Current TV's The War Room about the escalating campaign to sever the American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) corporate ties.

Recent pressure from ColorOfChange members has forced Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Kraft to cut ties with the conservative group behind the voter ID laws and the "Kill at Will" bills now being used to defend Trayvon Martin's killer. Today, the news broke that McDonald's has ended its membership with ALEC as well. Watch the full segment here.

ColorOfChange Executive Director Rashad Robinson joined MSNBC's Ed Schultz on Friday to talk about our campaign targeting ALEC's corporate sponsors. So far, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola and Kraft have parted ways with ALEC. It's not too late to join our efforts to encourage major corporations to stop funding the right-wing policy group. Check out the clip, and join ColorOfChange members who are today calling on AT&T to stop funding voter suppression.