This week, we commemorated the 58th anniversary of the violent attack against American citizens marching from Selma to Montgomery to secure their right to vote.
This weekend, President Biden visited Selma and paid tribute to the peaceful freedom fighters who were brutally assaulted by police in 1965 as they crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge. And eight years ago, I was with my friend, the late Congressman John Lewis — who led the march across the bridge in 1965 — at the 50th anniversary ceremony.
I’m glad President Biden continues to honor these brave civil rights pioneers. His actions draw a sharp contrast with his predecessor, who never came to Selma to pay his respects. Had Donald Trump been in a position of power during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, he would have been on the side of the oppressors — just as he was on the wrong side of history on virtually every major position he took as president.
Donald Trump detests free and fair elections. He was vote-suppressor-in-chief, doing everything he could to overturn the will of voters in the 2020 election. John, let’s be clear — voting rights and Donald Trump do not mix. And if we are to defeat Trump and his anti-voting rights MAGA GOP, then we need to go all in on making sure that every voter can have their voice heard.
In Washington, I’ve been pushing the envelope to advance the cause of voting rights, even to the point of being arrested as I peacefully protested the use of the filibuster to curtail voting rights outside the Senate.
We have big shoes to fill. John Lewis commanded any room he walked into not with a booming voice or an imposing stature, but with a gentle and humble disposition that hushed even the harshest of critics. He set an example for everyone around him. We must now honor his example, courage, and determination with our actions.
Thank you, John.
Hank Johnson
he/him
