The Power in Voting

The power of choice and voting are two of the most sacred and proud entities

people have; for, they have a say-so and a direct impact on our daily interactions

of life. The right and privilege to vote in America gave birth in 1776. Even then,

there were restrictions where only white men over the age of 21 owning land

could vote. Throughout the centuries following the voting practices, there

many amendments that referenced voter inclusion, like allowing women, Native

Americans, Black Americans and 18 year olds to vote. While these changes were

significant, we still need to address the elephant in the room, and that is voter

suppression.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by former president Lyndon B

Johnson as a way to secure minority votes which would enable fair and equal

voting rights. Since the signing of this voting act, the US Congress has amended

the Voters Act five times to ensure inclusion of American minorities. However,

much like many issues, there were loopholes that allowed voter suppression to

emerge and still exist, especially in the southern states.

The late, great Congressman John Robert Lewis, of Georgia, proposed the

advancement of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which would provide restoration and

strengthening various components of the Voting Rights law. In several states,

there are current laws that reads Americans who are incarcerated or have a past

criminal conviction are revoked of their voting privileges. This is primarily true

amongst minority men and women in America.

Now I ask… Is it fair to revoke voting privileges from the wrongfully accused? Is it

fair to revoke voting privileges from the rehabilitated? Is it fair to revoke voting

privileges from the under-served and socio-economically depressed?

With that said, the state of Georgia has implemented voting laws of suppression

and reinstating some of the voting practices enforced in the past.

Let us not move backwards. Let’s honor John Lewis, and America by taking our

democracy to a place of fair and equal opportunity like it was intended to be.