The Naked Truth/Jamala Rogers
Putting Another Nail in the Coffin of Voting Rights
Almost daily, the MAGA monsters have violated or destroyed some part of the cultural, political, or financial fabric of this infantile democracy. By doing so, certain sectors are more impacted than others. Ultimately, the sum of the attacks affects all of us.
I suspect that when Trump illegally put his name on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the progressive arts world was shaken to its core. When Trump attempted to illegally interfere with the Federal Reserve's independent operations by firing Governor Lisa Cook and Chair Jerome Wilson, I’m sure nerdy, non-partisan economists were outraged by the president's self-serving meddling. The recent US Supreme Court’s decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act (VRA) is like that for African Americans.
In Louisiana v Callais, the majority of the justices ruled that racial gerrymandering was unconstitutional. Really? The map that was drawn to create a predominantly Black district was done in compliance with the VRA. It was the persistent drawing of predominantly white districts over decades that forced the passage of legislation to counteract this racist practice. It was the obvious efforts to destroy lasting Black political power.
Since the signing of 1965 Voting Rights Act, the efforts to dismantle the legislation has been consistent. The courts, the legislatures, local and state governments, along with white supremacist groups, have all played their parts. They have been chipping away using voter intimidation and suppression tactics. The dismemberment of the VRA accelerated after Shelby v. Holder in 2013, which ended critical protections under Section 5. This section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 required certain jurisdictions with histories of racial discrimination to obtain federal preclearance before changing voting laws.
I have long believed that people of African descent will remain second-class citizens as long as a law is necessary for us to vote. Our full participation in society hinges on our recognition as citizens, a prerequisite to voting rights. The reauthorization of such laws makes our citizenship vulnerable, leaving us exposed to losing our voting rights with just one legislative action or court ruling. The law, along with its reauthorization, puts our citizenship in a precarious position. And now, here we are, with no voter protection and conceivably a legislative action or court ruling away from having no right to vote.
When Trump called the state of Texas, demanding more Republican seats, it set off a redistricting firestorm. The state of California led the successful charge for a national counter-redistricting plan that now threatens the GOP majority in the House and Senate. The midterm election is destined to be a game-changer for national politics.
African Americans have led the fight for voting rights, but we have not done it alone. History doesn’t always sing the courageous stories of unsung white voting rights warriors. Today, history is calling on all defenders of democracy to fight like hell in the coming months. It could be the decisive difference between a democratic government and an authoritarian one. Only the people can decide.