[[link removed]]Dear John,
One year ago, former President Trump's assault against the long-standing peaceful transfer of power culminated in the Capitol insurrection, which he incited. What followed was one of the darkest days in American history as a mob led by white supremacists stormed the Capitol Building. Trump’s refusal to concede defeat fueled the awful events of that day, but he was not the sole culprit. Other Republican officials, including members of Congress, were equally responsible by questioning the integrity of the elections and election officials. Many have since sought to downplay the insurrection as a peaceful protest by patriots with legitimate grievance.
The events of January 6 are perhaps the most violent example of an ongoing campaign to suppress the will of the American people via undemocratic means. But efforts have been underway to curb voting rights by misusing the democratic process. In 2021,19 states enacted 33 laws that will make it harder for Americans to vote [[link removed]] . In some states, someone can be charged with a crime for providing food or water to voters waiting in line to vote.
As a result, Democratic members of Congress have introduced legislation to push for federal voting right protections as a mechanism to counter this clear threat to our democracy. Bills such as the For the People Act , Freedom to Vote , and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act of 2021 would ensure that states have early voting, make Election Day a public holiday and secure the availability of mail-in voting, all of which are necessary measures to combat the actions taken by some state legislatures. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has attempted to bring a vote [[link removed]] on these key issues, but unfortunately these efforts continue to be blocked by the GOP.
This is why Emgage will dedicate 2022 to confronting this threat to our democracy by focusing on the threat of White Supremacy and protecting voting rights. If left unchecked, these threats can and will undermine our social fabric and democratic institutions.
[[link removed]]Washington, U.S, January 6, 2021. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
January 6 exposed the double standard of focusing 20 years of national security resources against Muslim, Arab, Black, and Brown communities while conditioning the American public that those communities were inherently violent.
Despite overwhelming evidence identifying White Supremacy as the greatest domestic threat, government agencies and law enforcement disproportionately target, surveil, and harass Muslim Americans and Black and Brown communities.
Since this incident, our team has worked to combat the double standard of terrorism prosecution and ensure that white supremacist terrorism is prosecuted to the same standard as other forms of terrorism. In 2021, Emgage Action and the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) developed a report for members of Congress and law enforcement agencies on the disproportionate impact domestic terrorism statutes and the uneven application of resources have had on Muslim Americans and Black and Brown communities. This year, Emgage Action will continue to engage law enforcement and national security agencies to apply the same standards to terrorism prosecution, irrespective of the ethnicity or religion of perpetrators. Check out our full report here.
Stay updated on our work on domestic terrorism prosecution
In July of 2021, Emgage Action and the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) held a press conference in the United States Capitol marking the release of this joint report. Here are some of the highlights featuring Wa'el Alzayat, Emgage Action CEO, and Salam Al-Marayati, MPAC President.
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