Our history books and our elders alike will tell us of the struggles endured for countless years for people of color to have the right to vote. It is a right that was fought for, that people died for so that we would have a voice in how our country was ran. Since the Voting Rights Act of 1965 there have still been other clever ways our country has found to keep many people of color from voting, including: revoking the right to vote to ex-felons, often referred to as the new Jim Crow, new voter ID laws in certain states, in essence voter suppression, all in addition to using intimidation and violence. Even with all of the ways employed to keep us down, African-Americans voted in record numbers in 2008, helping to elect Barack Obama as the nation’s first black President and put the first black family into the white house. While we are not here to force your vote in either direction, we at BCG want you to simply vote for the candidate you feel will best run our country for the next four years, you have a voice, let it be heard!
The American Promise: The Right to Vote
Every American citizen must have an equal right to vote. There is no reason which can excuse the denial of that right. There is no duty which weighs more heavily on us than the duty we have to ensure that right… The command of the Constitution is plain. There is no moral issue. It is wrong—deadly wrong—to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote in this country. There is no issue of States rights or National rights. There is only the struggle for human rights.
— President Lyndon Johnson, “The American Promise,” March 15, 1965
The National Urban League has launched the Occupy the Vote Election Center. Here you will find information on voter registration, voting rights, and the latest news on the 2012 presidential and congressional elections.
As Congress wrestles over measures to create jobs and grow the economy, a multi-state effort is underway to exclude the Americans most affected from the political process. The decisions of the nation’s elected officials are a crucial element in the nation’s economic recovery. Now, when voting matters more than ever, efforts to make voting more difficult for vulnerable citizens must be stopped.
Stay connected for news and updates on these latest attempts to block democracy and what you can do to protect your voting rights and “Occupy the Vote”. The site features open letters to governors, legislation issues that the black community should be aware of, state voter laws, election offices and an 8-point plan to Educate, Employ and Empower. We cordially invite you to join us and Occupy the Vote with the National Urban League! Visit the site regularly, get involved by signing the open letters to governors in your state and download your voter tool kit! To Occupy the Vote click here!
The time is now, make sure you are registered to vote and let your voice be heard this election!
