(ThyBlackMan.com) It took one full day before I could bring myself to think about or discuss the recent Supreme Court decision to strike down parts of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It was like a huge pill stuck in my throat, hard to swallow.
I first saw the headlines from a breaking news email, but hesitated to continue reading. Somehow I knew it would not be good news. Instead, I had a flashback of being in a classroom when I first heard the news of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. The entire school was stunned and motionless. On the way home, it appeared as if the world, or the world as I saw it was in tears. Thinking of the many men and women who fought for the right of all people to vote, those who spent nights and even years in jail, people black and white, young and old, who were silenced by death so others could
have a voice.
Realizing the importance of understanding what I was about to read, I preceded to scroll through the news report. The Supreme Court believes that certain states no longer need preclearance for implementing voter registration changes. I have heard arguments for and against the ruling. Some say the law is old and outdated. I don’t know where the those people were during the last Presidential election when states, particularly those with majority Republican legislators tried to suppress the vote by implementing severe changes that targeted elderly, minority and poor people. It was not just behind closed doors. Their efforts were open, blatant and in many cases illegal.
Clearly, the a Supreme Court ruling is not a decision in favor of all the people. It allows certain groups an opportunity to have an advantage in the voting process, which significantly improves their chances for victory in political elections. We should not become weakened by this ruling, rather become stronger, more educated and use every opportunity to educate others to prepare for any changes states make to suppress our votes.
After President Obama’s first election, The Supreme Court ruled corporations had no limits to the amount of money they could donate to political candidates and campaigns. Many corporations poured millions into advertising and funding for their candidates. This backfired when America showed up at the polls and sent notice their money was useless when it came to individual human rights. God’s law prevailed over the Supreme Court ruling. If God did it once, he will do it again. Each one of us must continue to do our part and remain faithful to retaining every person’s right to vote.