MILWAUKEE – Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court sided with a claim from a group of non-black Louisiana voters that their state’s second-majority black district was unconstitutional and intentionally discriminatory despite Black Americans making up one third of their state’s population. This ruling drastically undermines Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act which has historically outlawed discrimination by protecting Black and other minority communities’ right to vote and fair representation of their choice. Now Republican extremists, under the direction of President Donald Trump, will further their redistricting arms race to cheat and steal a congressional majority. Nick Truog the Chair for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin Black Caucus has released the following statement:
“Once again, conservative activist judges on our nation’s highest court continue to diminish the Voting Rights Act, which protects every American’s constitutional right to vote. This decision will not only affect Black voters but also Latino and all racial minority communities’ right to fair representation of their choice.
The very arguments justifying this decision are no different from those used by segregationists in opposition to civil rights almost 60 years ago. Now this Jim Crow language has been repackaged for partisan political gain, so Donald Trump and Republicans rig the midterm election in their favor.
The results of this case hurt everyone, but Black Americans were the target. This reality serves as a stark reminder to all Americans of different races and ethnicities that as long as those in our country continue to use prejudice and racism to degrade Black progress, it will impact everyone, and ultimately erode our very democracy.”
