By Dr. John E. Warren

While 47 of the 50 states propose and enact Voter Suppression Laws, the question becomes, what can we as individuals do to counter such attacks against us? To begin, we must recognize the true agenda of those hiding behind the Republican Party’s control of state legislatures, who believe Donald Trump’s lie that the election was stolen.

The reality is that conservative white republicans are attempting to recreate the conditions that existed in 1901, when all African-American elected officials were removed from office at both the national and state levels. This was the result of the agreement reached with the South to have no national interference with the rights of the states. As a result, no Blacks were elected to Congress between 1901 (John Roy Lynch of Mississippi) and 1928. (Oscar De Priest from Chicago).

Today, in 2022, the Republican Party (GOP), led by the out-of-office Donald Trump, is attempting to bring about a contemporary “Reconstruction” by enacting voter suppression laws in 47 states and redistricting congressional districts in accordance with the 2020 Census, as required by the U.S. Constitution every ten years.

This contemporary reconstruction will once more restrict voting for people of colour and election officials in state offices who have the power to alter election outcomes and choose Electoral College representatives if they don’t agree with the choices of the voters. It is obvious that the stage has been set for court rulings that will further solidify the suppression of civil rights decisions at all levels because state courts and the U.S. Supreme Court are stacked with judges who were nominated by a Republican Senate.

Unlike a century ago, we know what is coming and what we can do to prevent such actions. We know that racism on the part of conservative and right-wing whites is fear of the “browning” of America, based on the rise in hate crimes and racism, much of which has been fueled by the actions of our former President. This “browning” occurs in a country where Whites are a minority among ethnic groups such as Blacks, Latinos, and Asians. Blacks, whites, and people of color who believe in our democratic form of government for what it means under a Constitution that guarantees human and civil rights must band together to assist one another.

We can accomplish this by registering to vote and selecting and funding candidates to run against the Republican “Reconstruction” programme described here. We must replicate the experience of Georgia in terms of voter turnout and the election of the right people at all levels of government. We must not lose sight of the true motivations driving voter suppression and the Republican Party. Let us call the Republican Party’s agenda what it is: The New Reconstruction 2022, and get to work on it at all levels.

The San Diego Voice and Viewpoint are published by Dr. John E. Warren.

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