Protect our right to protest

Sunday was the 56th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when 600 protesters were beaten by state troopers on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. The incident stirred the conscience of the nation and led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act later that year.

That is the story of our democracy, forged in the streets, made more perfect every time conscientious citizens tie up their shoe laces and march. This Tuesday, legislators are considering legislation that would effectively criminalize protest –– and it’s up to us to stop them: 

Just last summer, we saw the nation’s conscience stirred again by the protests following the horrific killing of George Floyd, when people took to the streets in communities across the nation to demand justice. Now, in statehouses across the country we are seeing similar legislation being proposed to undercut our right to protest.

Luckily, strong activism is ensuring that many of these bills don’t pass –– but we need the same kind of energy to beat back this assault on our rights in Alabama. I can’t tell you why legislators here think this will work if it hasn’t worked elsewhere, but I need your help to make sure they cannot win.

Sometimes I try to take a moment to remind myself that in 1791, when the Bill of Rights was ratified, it was a seriously radical idea for a government to protect its citizens’ right to protest. Every advancement in civil and human rights since then is built atop this foundational right.

Let’s make sure we protect this right so we can continue to inspire and build a more just democracy together. Thank you, as always, for your support.