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Dear John,
Fifty-five years ago, ADL’s then-national director Benjamin Epstein and a group of other ADL leaders from across the United States traveled to Alabama to join the legendary march from Selma to Montgomery.
In the April 1965 ADL Bulletin, Epstein wrote that they had joined “more than 3,000 Americans: Black and white, ministers, rabbis, Catholic nuns, students, representatives of organizations, those who belonged to no group other than the human race — all in peaceful demonstration against blind violence, in ‘gigantic witness’ to the constitutionally guaranteed right of all citizens to register and vote.”
Today is National Voter Registration Day,
just weeks ahead of the 2020 elections. We have made great strides as a nation since the Selma march. We passed the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965 and — with many ups and downs along the way — have generally increased the options available to voters in many states to make it easier to vote. Across the nation, students are taught that voting is a fundamental right and a responsibility in our democracy, and that every vote counts.
Our Constitution guarantees the right to vote, with the understanding that in this democracy, elections will be free and fair. But “free and fair” does not come automatically. It requires vigilance. This is especially true during a pandemic, when some people will find voting a challenge. This is also true in the face of a blizzard of commentary, a flurry of litigation, and mass confusion on social media.
We understand that free and fair elections are a prerequisite to securing just and fair treatment to everyone who lives in this country. That is why ADL is working on voter education and engagement, analyzing and reporting on how extremism affects the election, and speaking out against campaign-related appeals to bigotry and hate. That is why we have created a collection of resources
letting people know how, where and when they can vote. But we need your help.
We must all continue to vigorously oppose efforts to undermine the franchise, including voter suppression and restrictions on ballot access. It will take the concerted effort of individuals, communities, organizations and government officials at every level to ensure a safe and fair election this year. The future of our democracy depends on it, and it is also a fitting way to honor and remember the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a true trailblazer who devoted her life to the pursuit of justice and equality that are the essence of any democracy.
Reflecting on his experience in Alabama in March 1965, Ben Epstein wrote:
“In five days filled with drama and human sacrifice, the goal of freedom, of true democracy, moved closer in sight. The task ahead, for the Anti-Defamation League, for all agencies and individuals dedicated to justice and fair treatment, is to smooth the road, to promote American ideals of democracy through obedience to law and through intergroup cooperation. This we will do, with all the resources and experience of our more than fifty years of life. For we, of all people, know the evil of silence.”
Fifty-five years later, we are still working to smooth the road.
ADL Resources
| Sincerely, |
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| Steven M. Freeman |
| VP, Civil Rights |
| ADL |
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