The Voting Rights Act fundamentally strengthened America as a pluralistic society when it was enacted.
We cannot afford to lose ground or break faith with the Americans whose rights that law secures.
Faith communities were integral to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. More than half a century later, it’s clear that faith voices are more important than ever to re-center American political culture on advancing the common good rather than advancing partisan interests. Texas Impact has been a stalwart champion of voting rights and fair elections. We equip Texans of faith and conscience to participate in all aspects of the democratic process, including advocating for legislation to preserve the rights of the marginalized and vulnerable.
In relationships built through shared activities and beliefs, Texans learn about each others’ lived experiences and come to appreciate the importance of pluralism. For example, Texas Impact has members who paid poll taxes in the days before those taxes were abolished. Their stories of life before the Voting Rights Act help younger voters understand why the passage of the Voting Rights Act was so profound, and why it is so important for people of faith to defend not just the concept of voting rights, but the concrete laws and policies that effectuate those rights.
Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Bee Moorhead, executive director of Texas Impact. The column appears in The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service with the permission of the author.
