John,
It's been 56 years since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law. It's the most monumental piece of voting rights legislation -- but after all this time, we haven't seen anything like that since.
The Voting Rights Act advanced protections against discrimination and helped to raise the voices of Black folks at the polls. But we know all too well that white supremacy doesn't sleep. From literacy tests to poll taxes and more -- lawmakers have
always come up with ways to prevent Black people from voting.
Now more than ever, we see the new Jim Crow thriving through laws in places like Texas, where bills have been introduced to ban drive-through and 24-hour voting options, and even rolling back on voting by mail and ballot drop-off locations. In the 2020 elections, we saw these options prove to be very successful in places like Houston, where it's majority Black. This is no coincidence.
Over 30 pieces of voting legislation have been introduced in state legislatures across the country, and all are targeted at restricting access to the polls. This legislation is a deliberate attack on Black voters.
It's time for President Biden to prioritize expanding and protecting voting rights by passing the For the People Act -- to reinstate the federal requirement and prevent discriminatory voting laws from being implemented, and because 56 years is too many years to wait when it comes to protecting our democracy.
Let's make sure President Biden hears our message loud and clear: Prioritize protecting and advancing voting rights. Pass For the People. Take a minute to tweet a message to President Biden -- just click here and hit “tweet!”
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.
It's time to call this out for what it is -- white supremacy and voter suppression.
The longer President Biden waits to act, the worse the problem gets. If we don't pass the For the People Act, Black voters will be forced into facing discrimination at the polls even longer.
It's time for President Biden to show his solidarity with Black voters by prioritizing the For the People Act. It's the only way to keep state lawmakers from implementing these discriminatory voter laws. Click here to tweet @POTUS to demand he takes action immediately.
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
