…again, the descendants of slaves – the most disenfranchised people in this democracy find ourselves leading the fight to ensure that ALL Americans have the right to vote! We know better than anyone – that without the power to cast a ballot, we have little chance of equality and justice in this society. This is actually true for the average American as well – but few recognize it so clearly as black and brown people who have experienced oppression so consistently and so brutally throughout this country’s history.
Texas Democrats – led by black lawmakers and their followers – have been putting their “bodies on the line” in Washington DC for the last several days trying to get our Congressional Representatives to do the right thing and pass legislation that will block the Republican assault on the Voting Rights of ALL Americans. They have correctly highlighted the truth that these attacks, at the state level across America, are targeted to silence voters who turned out in the last elections across the nation to defeat trump – small “t” – both in the popular vote as well as the electoral college vote.
Trump’s republican – small “r” – minions have tried every possible fraudulent maneuver to prove that the 2020 national election – the most secure ever in American History – was corrupt or fraudulent! Why? Because trump and his supporters did not win the election at the federal level. And because the leaders of the republican party know that they do not want to propose/support legislation and policies that most sensible Americans want: investment in infrastructure – including internet access for All, women’s right to choose health practices for themselves, measures to protect the environment on which we are all dependent for life – practices that would be helpful to the majority of Americans who are middle class and would help them win elections. Courts across the country have thrown out republican lawsuits and affirmed that Biden-Harris won the election.
So, republican state governments have drummed up legislation to make voting more difficult for the average American. We have to look to Congress to pass laws right now that will counter these attacks on our voting rights. With Democrats’ slim majorities in both houses, we need our lawmakers to stop the filibuster from making the perverse will of the minority republicans prevail. And we need more of our citizens to stand with those brave souls who are in Washington – putting their “bodies on the line” to see that all of us can vote and have our votes fairly counted in upcoming elections.
Al Sharpton commented this week that it was not Lyndon Johnson who created the political environment for the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to succeed – it was dedicated Americans – with the leadership of the black community across America – that forced the hands of political leaders to do the people’s will. Parts of that act have now been gutted by republican appointees to the Supreme Court!
As Mary Trump, Donald Trump’s niece, an experienced Psychologist and Uncle Donald observer since childhood, has warned in her new book, The Reckoning, unless all of us who can see and speak truth act now decisively, we are staring at a Fascist Future for our country. We have a major political party willing to GO THERE. Witness the January 6th insurrection! Have you heard the Capitol police testify to the way they were attacked and beaten bloody by that mob? Are we scared yet? WE SHOULD BE!
National March for Voting Rights – Washington – August 28, 2021