Legislatively Speaking
By Senator, Lena C. Taylor
Lena C. Taylor
The path to the ballot box hasn’t always been an easy one for us. There’s a long, ugly history of black people being terrorized and bullied out of voting. We’ve been hosed down, beaten, and murdered in the fight for our right to vote.
Many people don’t know this, but back in the 80’s, after widespread attempts by Republican officials to suppress the vote in minority communities, the Republican National Committee was prohibited from engaging in any “ballot security” measures. This meant that they couldn’t go to the polls and intimidate voters or question their credentials. This measure was put in place so everyone was guaranteed easy and open access to the ballot box.
The RNC got the message. As the prohibition is about to run out, they are sending their own message to us. Just look at what their nominee for President is doing. Ever since his poll numbers started dipping, Donald Trump has taken to claiming that the election will be “rigged” thanks to voter fraud. He’s asked his supporters to go out and monitor polling places in “certain areas.”
We’re not fools. We know that “certain areas” means black communities. We know it, and Trump’s voters know it.
Earth to Trump; extending voting hours and adding polling places isn’t voter fraud. Making it easier to vote isn’t “rigging” the election. But encouraging your supporters to “watch” voters in minority neighborhoods? That’s voter intimidation. Period. If anyone’s “rigging” this election, it’s Trump and his band of bullies. It’s immoral, corrupt and against the law.
Frankly, this isn’t surprising coming from the guy who began his campaign by calling Mexicans “rapists.” This is the same guy who has received the enthusiastic endorsement of former KKK leader David Duke, the same guy who spent the past several years encouraging the racist birther movement against President Obama.
This is the guy that has the support of the Republican Party. There’s a lesson to be learned in that 95% of black voters voted Democratic in 2012. Republicans should spend their time trying to win black votes instead of suppressing them. Maybe then, they’d get different results.
Trump’s voter intimidation efforts are in direct violation of the 1982 decree that the Republicans agreed to follow. The Democrats are now suing the RNC for their support of voter intimidation efforts. Let’s hope they are held accountable.
Sometimes politics brings out the worst in people. It’s inevitable that people will get jazzed up during election season, but Trump has taken advantage of his voters’ anger. He’s energized the hate vote and given those filled with prejudice a chance to act on that hate. It’s unforgivable.
I hope we can all agree that we can’t go back to the days of Jim Crow and lynching in the town square. We’ve fought too hard and too long for that. Taking away people’s right to vote is the first step in a slippery slope towards complete silence and oppression. The right to vote is a sacred one, and one that we all need to protect.
The law says that you have the right to feel safe and unintimidated at your polling place. If you feel like someone is interfering with this right, call The Department of Justice’s voting rights hotline at 1-800-253-3931 or the Election Protection hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
Your vote is your voice, and no one has the right to silence you, so get out on November 8th and speak your mind!
Join us for a movie viewing and discussion about this very issue on November 7th.
“The Best Democracy Money Can Buy” by Greg Palast. Please call our office to reserve your seat at 414 342-7176. I am looking forward to seeing you there. While supplies last there will be free nachos and popcorn.