Letter to the Editor – Louise McBride

Dear Editor,

Re: Houston County NAACP Branch #5203 Voter Suppression Bill

This organization strongly opposes the bill recently signed by Governor Kemp imposing voting limitations described as “Jim Crow” in nature. The components of this bill are an offensive slap in the face to the memory of the Honorable John Lewis. Him and several others dedicated their lives and were savagely beaten, drowned and attacked by dogs as they walked across the Edmond Petty Bridge. They used THEIR power and voice so that WE may vote. This same power is in you, your vote and your voice.

Portions of the bill …

•Criminalize the simple act of providing food and beverage to those standing in voting lines;

•Authorize unlimited changes to a voter’s registration;

•Limit voter locations, mail-in and early voting efforts with no weekend days. (What about the working class, the backbone?)

•Expand a partisan legislature to overpower and overturn our elections, stripping the Secretary of State’s role as chair and superintendent of elections board.

If this bill was a law in the 2020 election, a party would have been able to..

•Remove the elected Secretary of State and replace with a temporary or permanent replacement (How can they replace someone we vote in?)

Ultimately, changing the outcome of the 2020 election.

They have an open choice to suppress our vote regardless of the outcome. We will have no say so and no power.

While there are numerous horrific parts to this bill, we as a community must engage in efforts to correct these wrongs and move the state of Georgia forward instead of backward. Our future is in our hands! We MUST fight for our civil rights!

Louise McBride

HHJ News