Moving Forward With Our Mission, Voting and Elections 2024
As the calendar continues to move forward, nearing the first half of 2024, We the People, must remain diligent, vigilant and focused on the summer of 2024, which is reminiscent of the summer of 1964.
For the record, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex and national origin. It also forbade discrimination, on the basis of race, in hiring, promoting and firing, further forbidding discrimination in public accommodations and federally funded programs, while strengthening protection of voting rights and allowing for the desecration of schools.
In the following summer, Congress passed the 1964 Voting Rights Act, often referred to as “the transformation of democracy” and which focused on addressing the legacy of discrimination against African American ‘s access to the ballot. Its purpose was also intended to reinforce the right to vote and designed to prohibit the use of antiquated restrictions and discriminatory tactics, whose previous aims were to prohibit black citizens from voting. Some of the unique provisions, of the VRA have since been declared unnecessary and unconstitutional.
Over time, thousands of bills at the state levels, have been passed, to restrict the right to vote, and they are still an issue, as we move closer to the fall election season. These bills, couched under “election integrity” and combating so called “voter fraud”, are moving the franchise farther away from senior citizens, Women, Blacks, Latinos and students. Even voting by mail has come under attack and more difficult for many seniors.
In Texas, the 2021 Legislature passed SB1, described by some critics as the Omnibus Voter Suppression bill, has come under closer legal scrutiny and was found, in one federal case, to have been unconstitutional. Final arguments were held, back in February of this year and we are now awaiting the outcome.
Serious voter awareness,education and registration efforts must remain the focus of a variety of community based and service oriented organizations. During the latest Juneteenth Celebrations, in San Antonio, members of some of the Greek lettered organizations, namely Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, made efforts to educate and register voters at Comanche and Crockett Parks.
On Thursday, June 20th, Powered by People will be on the campus of St. Philip’s College, to register eligible voters and conduct registration checks. In order to register voters, one must be a currently certified Volunteer Deputy Registrar, at least in Bexar County.
All of the previously mentioned information is being disseminated in order to help engage more young people, to get registered, and to maintain their interest in having a positive impact on improving the quality of representation we get, by turning out to vote.
VOTE: You Can Make A Difference
