The line is open.
I close with, at top, Brian Chilson's photo from a rally at the Capitol today by a coalition pressing Sens. Mark Pryor and John Boozman to vote for pending immigration legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for millions, including many Arkansas residents.
Organizers said 28,261 Asian and HIspanic voters cast ballots in Arkansas in 2012, still small in the total, but a 77 percent increase from 2010 and almost half first-time voters.
The group claims 88,877 Hispanic and Asian voters in the state with 40,000 legal permanent residents who could become voters by the next election.
Participants included Arkansas United Community Coalition, Arkansas Coalition for DREAM, Arkansas Interfaith Alliance, Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families, Citizens’ First Congress, Catholic Charities, Northwest Arkansas Workers’ Justice Center, OMNI Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology, OneCommunity, El Zocalo, League of United Latin American Citizens, ARKTESOL, Workers’ United and BCGTM.