As the general election approaches, it’s not a given that every voting age American will have an equitable chance to cast a ballot. President Donald Trump recently threatened to withhold emergency financial support from the Postal Service, and although he subsequently said that he may approve the funding if Democrats agree to some Republican demands, nothing he says may matter thanks to Senate Republicans, who have yet to take up financial assistance legislation that the Democrat-led House passed. This Monday, former President Barack Obama spoke out to call on Americans to work on behalf of voting rights and prepare to cast their ballots this November.
Obama pointed his followers to Ella Baker, a civil rights advocate who, among many other highlights of decades of work, helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC. That organization was responsible for initiatives like the Freedom Rides, in which activists rode buses across the south in an attempt to desegregate public transportation. The late Georgia Democratic Congressman John Lewis, who recently passed away, participated in that effort.
Obama said:
‘Ella Baker, a giant of the civil rights movement, embodies the idea of ordinary people’s ability to create change. She fought for the right to vote and led a movement of young people towards the fight for freedom. You should know her name… There’s a reason some people are working to make it harder to vote, especially for people of color. It’s because when we show up, things change.’
Ella Baker, a giant of the civil rights movement, embodies the idea of ordinary people’s ability to create change. She fought for the right to vote and led a movement of young people towards the fight for freedom. You should know her name:https://t.co/6z0o7uUiBg
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 24, 2020
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden opened his recent nomination acceptance speech during the Democratic National Convention with a quote from Baker. Biden said:
‘Ella Baker, a giant of the civil rights movement, left us with this wisdom: Give people light and they will find a way. Give people light. Those are words for our time… Here and now, I give you my word: If you entrust me with the presidency, I will draw on the best of us, not the worst. I will be an ally of the light, not of the darkness.’
Meanwhile, on Monday, Obama added:
‘Don’t let them convince you that your vote doesn’t matter. Make a plan to vote and register at http://iwillvote.com. Vote early if you can. Tell everyone you know to do the same.’
Voting early helps ensure that any last-minute issues on Election Day won’t impede the chance for Americans to have their voices be heard.
Don’t let them convince you that your vote doesn’t matter. Make a plan to vote and register at https://t.co/XdZz4dh82T. Vote early if you can. Tell everyone you know to do the same.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 24, 2020
Check out Twitter’s response to Obama below:
