John,
Just last week, we took a moment to remember an important event in our history known as Bloody Sunday. It occurred in the
heat of the Civil Rights Movement in 1965, when hundreds of activists marched for the voting rights of Black people. Despite their peaceful intentions, they were met with brutal violence from police at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.
Bloody Sunday will forever serve as a reminder of one of the many challenges those advocating for equality and justice face. Led by courageous leaders like the late John Lewis, who bravely testified about the attacks in a federal hearing shortly after suffering a skull fracture, these activists devoted their lives to voting rights, even in the face of brutality and oppression.
Now more than ever, we see the new and modern Jim Crow thriving through laws all over the country. In that same spirit as those who fought before us, we are well aware that voter suppression is just an attempt to violently strip millions of Black voters of their rights, threatening our ability to raise our voices and build power as a community.
Let's call it what it is: White supremacy.
The Black vote is more than just a talking point or reliable base for either party. If it weren't important, folks wouldn't be trying to take it away.
That's why we must utilize our power to elect people who push policies that push our communities forward. The fight to prevent voter suppression and expand voting rights remains as urgent as it was in 1965. Please take a moment to demand your congressperson to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, the latest piece of legislation around advancing voter rights since the Voting Rights Act >>
Voting is a fundamental right and is critical to the foundation of what makes us a democracy. Since its inception, this country has tried to prevent Black people from practicing our fundamental right to vote -- that ends so long as we've got something to do with it.
The upcoming voting season holds immense significance. When you cast your vote, you're not merely making a choice; you're amplifying your voice, and it resonates loud and clear: "End state-sanctioned violence against Black people. End white supremacy."
That's the energy we're on, straight to the polls, all year, EVERY year – no matter how big or small the election may seem. But in order to do that, we need to have fair and equal access to the ballot. Black people still face significant barriers when it comes to voting.
Lawmakers have always come up with ways to prevent Black people from voting. The longer Congress waits to act, the worse the problem gets, especially if we don't pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Please send a quick letter to Congress demanding this is a main priority >>
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter
