friend,
In his State of the Union address last night, President Biden addressed some of the most pressing struggles that have frayed the fabric of our democracy in recent years.
We echo the president’s call for Congress to “rise to this moment” and implement policing reforms, improve oversight and enhance accountability. We need to reimagine policing in this country. Militarizing the police will not make us safer, it will just make life more dangerous for Black Americans. It’s time for lawmakers to act and pass legislation that prevents the killing of Black, Indigenous and people of color at the hands of police.
We share the president’s view that our democracy has been threatened, attacked and put at risk. After more than two years, the nightmarish images of white supremacists and violent far-right insurrectionists parading symbols of hate through the U.S. Capitol have not faded. Nor has the threat they pose to our democracy.
Extremist groups are growing in number and power. They have become more brazen, more sophisticated, more dangerous. No longer hiding in the shadows, their movement has gone mainstream. They have powerful allies now, from members of Congress who call them “patriots” and “political prisoners” to cable news stars and billionaire social media executives.
And violent groups like the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, and their enablers, are determined to “win” the 2024 election ... by whatever means necessary.
There is no place for political violence in our communities, and we must respond with courageous and principled resistance. To confront the urgent threat facing our country, the SPLC developed a six-part National Campaign to Protect Our Democracy.
- First, we’re working to lessen the impact of extremism on our election systems by providing no-cost resources for community leaders and families that: a. help recognize voting misinformation; b. interrupt the radicalization process of young people; and c. facilitate a deeper understanding of antidemocracy threats and center the importance of acting in defense of our republic.
- Second, we’re mounting a major legal effort to counter anti-democracy laws that suppress the vote and continue to maintain a minority rule in some municipalities. We know this tactic will continue even as our nation grows more diverse.
- Third, we’re fighting for fair election administration by pushing hard in the Deep South for policies such as automatic voter registration, same-day registration, no-excuse absentee voting, vote by mail and the expansion or establishment of early voting. We’re ensuring that Southern states comply with the requirements of federal laws like the National Voter Registration Act and do not illegally remove voters from the rolls.
- Fourth, we’re increasing voter participation. In the run-up to last year’s midterms, we ran voter registration and mobilization campaigns to ensure that voters have their voices heard. But we’re not just organizing around individual election cycles. This is a long-term goal to continue registering more voters in marginalized communities and get them to the polls in every election.
- Fifth, we’re holding social media platforms accountable for failing the American public and aiding a misinformation campaign deliberately aimed at disrupting the democratic process and driving a decrease in confidence in our political system.
- Sixth, we’re fighting to restore the full power of the Voting Rights Act. We are sorely disappointed at Congress’s failure to respond to the Supreme Court’s disastrous decisions gutting the landmark law, but we will NEVER abandon this fight. Together, we will continue to rally voters in defense of our democracy and fight the systemic attack on representative government systems. Our voter registration and mobilization campaigns ensure that voters will have their voices heard in 2024 local, state and federal elections and beyond.
As Biden remarked last night, “We’re not bystanders to history.” Will you make a special contribution to support our work to defend voting rights, advance our vision for a strong, diverse democracy and defeat hate and extremism?
DONATE NOW
Thank you for being an integral part of our movement — a movement made possible by people who share a commitment to justice and human rights and who are joined by shared resolve.
In solidarity,
Your friends at the Southern Poverty Law Center
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The SPLC is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people.
, will you make a special gift to support our work today?
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