IF YOU WANT IT IN ON TIME, THOSE
NEED TO BE BROUGHT IN IN PERSON
BY HAND IF YOU WANT TO MAKE IT
IN TIME NOW.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING FOR MONTHS
NOW ABOUT THIS ELECTION AS THE
FIRST BIG NATIONAL VOTE BY MAIL
ELECTION BECAUSE OF THE
PANDEMIC.
BUT NOT ANYMORE.
THAT PART OF IT IS OVER IN PART
BECAUSE THEY REALLY DID
PURPOSELY MONKEY WRENCH THE
POSTOFFICE TO MAKE THAT SIMPLE
AND SAFE SOLUTION NOT WORK.
AND IN PART BECAUSE THEY
REALIZED THAT WAY TOO MANY
PEOPLE WERE STILL VOTING.
SO, NOW THEY WANT TO NOT COUNT
AS MANY BALLOTS AS POSSIBLE BY
ANY MEANS NECESSARY.
WE’RE SEEING THIS FLOOD OF CASES
INTO THE NEWLY HARDLINED
CONSERVATIVE SUPREME COURT,
REPUBLICANS FIGHTING IN STATE
AFTER STATE TO GET THE UNITED
STATES SUPREME COURT TO ALLOW
THEM TO NOT COUNT YOUR BALLOTS
SOMEHOW, TO LIMIT THE TIME YOU
HAVE TO GET YOUR BALLOT IN, TO
LIMIT THE PLACES YOU CAN VOTE,
TO LIMIT THE PLACES YOU CAN DROP
OFF YOUR BALLOT, TO ADD TO THE
LIST OF BOGUS REASONS THEY CAN
ALLEGE SOME IMPERFECTION IN YOUR
VOTE TO DISQUALIFY IT, TO STOP
THE COUNTING, TO THROW OUT AS
MANY VOTES AS THEY CAN.
THAT’S WHAT THE NEXT WEEK AND
BEYOND IS GOING TO BE LIKE.
AND SO WE STAND IN LINE.
WE TAKE STRENGTH FROM OUR
HISTORY.
WE WILL LINE UP AND DO IT.
WE WILL LINE UP IN PLACES WHERE
THEY JUST WANT VOTING TO TAKE
FOREVER SO THOSE WITH THE LEAST
TIME AND RESOURCES TO SPARE HAVE
TO GIVE UP.
WE WILL LINE UP IN PLACES WHERE
THEY’RE DETERMINED TO SLOW THE
MAIL SO WE CAN’T VOTE SAFELY
FROM HOME EVEN IN THE PANDEMIC.
WE WILL LINE UP IN PLACES WHERE
THEY ARE DETERMINED THAT EVEN IF
WE CAST OUR BALLOTS THERE WILL
BE CHALLENGES AND TRICKS AND
ROPE COURSES THAT OUR BALLOTS
HAVE TO RUN THROUGH WHILE THEY
TRY TO JUSTIFY NOT COUNTING
THEM.
THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT
UNDER ITS PREVIOUS CONSERVATIVE
MAJORITY TOOK THE HEART OUT OF
THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT YEARS AGO.
AND NOW THE, WOLF WORK OF PROTEC
VOTERS’ LIVES AND PROTECTING
VOTERS’ ABILITIES TO GET THIS
DONE, IT LIES AS MUCH WITH
NON-PROFITS AND POLITICAL
PARTIES AND LEGAL VOLUNTEERS AND
CITIZEN DETERMINATION AS IT EVER
DID UNDER THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
IN YEARS GOING BACK TO 1965.
UNDER THIS COURT, UNDER THIS
ATTORNEY GENERAL, UNDER THIS
PRESIDENT, THERE’S NOT GOING TO
BE ANY JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
ATTORNEYS RIDING IN WITH THE
WEIGHT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
ON HAND TO PROTECT CITIZENS’
RIGHTS TO VOTE.
IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE WILL HAVE TO PATCH IT
TOGETHER OURSELVES.
AND NO.
IMPORTANTLY, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT
WILL HAPPEN AT THE END OF THE
DAY.
YOU NEVER DO.
THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES.
AND RIGHT NOW IN THIS ELECTION,
AGAIN, WE ARE ONE WEEK OUT
TONIGHT.
THE ATTENTION OF COURSE IS ON
THE TOP OF THE TICKET.
THE WHOLE WORLD’S ATTENTION IS
ON THE TOP OF THE TICKET IN OUR
COUNTRY.
BUT WATCH DOWN BALLOT TWO WHERE
A FIRE HOSE OF DETERMINED VOTERS
CAN DO ALMOST ANYTHING DESPITE
ALMOST ANY ODDS.
WATCH DOWN BALLOT.
WATCH THE HOUSE.
WATCH THE SENATE.
WATCH THE GOVERNORSHIPS.
WATCH THE STATE LEGISLATURES.
WATCH COUNTY SHERIFFS.
THINK OF OLD JIM CLARK WHEN YOU
DO SO.
SO MUCH IS UP FOR GRABS NOW.
THIS WEEK, THIS TIME IN THESE
NEXT SEVEN DAYS.
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF STANDING IN
A LINE THAT OUGHT TO BE A
NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT.
IF YOU ARE WAITING TO PUT YOUR
BALLOT IN THE COUNTY’S ONE
LONELY DROPBOX BECAUSE THEY
CLOSED ALL THE REST OF THEM,
KNOW THAT YOU ARE PULLING A
THREAD THROUGH A LOT OF HISTORY.
YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING WE HAVE
ALL BEEN TAUGHT HOW TO DO BY
SOME OF THE BRAVEST, MOST
PERSEVERING PERSONS WHO EVER
LIVED.
YOU STAND IN THE LINES.
YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO
EVERYTHING.
NOT EVERYTHING MAY GO YOUR WAY,
BUT YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN DO AND
YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT YOU CAN
DO.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SENT THEIR
REPORTER AND THEIR PHOTOGRAPHERS
TO COVER THAT PATIENT, BRAVE,
DETERMINED, STEADFAST SURGE OF
BLACK VOTERS IN 1966 ALABAMA.
HERE’S THE FINAL WORDS OF AP
CAPTION UNDER THAT PHOTO THAT
RAN NATIONWIDE IN 1966.
IT SAYS, QUOTE, ALL IN LINE GOT