VOTING RIGHTS ACT SUPPORTERS RALLY AS SUPREME COURT HEARS LOUISIANA CASE
WASHINGTON. Passionate voices filled the streets outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday as activists, lawmakers, and civil rights groups gathered to defend a key part of the Voting Rights Act (VRA).
Inside, justices heard arguments in a case brought by Louisiana and a group of voters who claim Section 2 of the 1965 law discriminates against white voters. Many warn that this claim could undo decades of progress in protecting minority voting rights.
Section 2 prohibits voting practices that discriminate based on race. Opponents argue it’s outdated, but critics strongly disagree.
Rep. Troy Carter (D-Louisiana) warned that striking down the law could eliminate two majority-Black congressional districts in his state.
“Black people make up one-third of Louisiana’s population, yet only five have ever served in the U.S. House out of 171. That’s not equal representation,” Carter said. “Without protections like Section 2, Black communities lose power, and our democracy weakens.”
Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Alabama), who attended the hearing, expressed concerns that the court’s conservative majority may try to limit or eliminate the section.
“This case isn’t just about congressional maps,” Sewell said. “It’s about who we are as a nation and what kind of democracy we want to have.”
Outside, hundreds gathered for a “Fight for Fair Maps” rally, organized by nearly two dozen advocacy groups, including the NAACP, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and The Urban League.
Demonstrators held signs that read “Protect Our Vote” and “We Fight Back,” honoring the legacy of civil rights heroes like John Lewis, Ida B. Wells, and Amelia Boynton Robinson.
Fatima Goss Graves, president of the National Women’s Law Center, addressed the crowd:
“Those fighting against Section 2 want to make the right to vote nothing but words on paper,” she said. “But we’re here to make sure it remains real.”
For many who rallied, protecting fair representation means protecting democracy itself.
.jpg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.webp)
(0) Comment
(0) Comment