Public Wise Statement on Allen v. Milligan
This case demonstrates the political power grab, motivated by white supremacy and Christian nationalism, happening in state legislatures across the country.
MEDIA CONTACT: Addie Bullock, abullock@bluestate.co
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Public Wise, an organization committed to fighting for a multiracial democracy that reflects the will and protects the rights of the people, released the following statement on the Supreme Court’s Allen v. Milligan decision:
“While today’s Supreme Court decision allowed voting rights activists across the country to breathe a sigh of relief, this is not a victory. The Court, after years of chipping away at the Voting Rights Act, chose to preserve one of the last protections in the VRA and upheld the Court’s precedent. This decision ruled in favor of Black voters and voting rights but there is still work to be done.”
“This case demonstrates the political power grab, motivated by white supremacy and Christian nationalism, happening in state legislatures across the country. Alabama lawmakers, in an attempt to undermine Black political power in a state that is 27% Black, proposed a map so gerrymandered that it contained only one majority Black district. Gerrymandered, racist maps and voter suppression result in extremist state legislatures who pass legislation dedicated to undermining and overturning our basic rights, from bodily autonomy to the right to vote.
“We are seeing this reality play out in real time in states like Tennessee, Wisconsin, Louisiana and North Carolina. Our democracy is under attack on all sides, from our state legislatures to the courts. We must recognize that this is the result of a fifty year, interconnected campaign to build an America that only works for the white and the wealthy. Today’s ruling takes a meaningful step towards ensuring that Black Alabamians’ voices are heard at the ballot box and that it is possible to build a representative democracy that works for all Americans,” said Eli Szenes-Strauss, political director of Public Wise.
About Public Wise
Persistent and unyielding in our commitment to a just multiracial democracy, Public Wise fights to secure a government that reflects the will and protects the rights of the people. We accomplish this through education, research, organizing, funding, and partnerships that support more voting and more equitable representation.
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