On November 17, People For the American Way, the League of Women Voters of the United States, the Declaration for American Democracy, and dozens of democracy coalition partner organizations gathered for a powerful demonstration for voting rights in front of the White House. A crowd of around 800 protestors demanded that President Joe Biden use the full power of his bully pulpit to pass new federal legislation – at long last – on voting rights.
“Tomorrow, they’ll be more of us” #NoMoreExcuses #VotingRightsNow pic.twitter.com/cQIAqYMH3h
— Ben Jealous (@BenJealous) November 17, 2021
More than 200 voting rights activists were arrested that day, signaling a growing awareness of the dire need for the Senate to finally fix or nix the filibuster in order to pass critical federal voting rights legislation, including the Freedom to Vote Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and the D.C. Statehood bill. This action follows a previous demonstration at the White House on Nov. 3 at which nearly 60 activists were arrested, and earlier demonstrations on October 19 and October 5 at which 25 and five activists were arrested, respectively.
“Let’s put our bodies on the line for #VotingRightsNow”
how it started: how its going: pic.twitter.com/2X3BzqeLHL
— Ben Jealous (@BenJealous) November 17, 2021
I cycled to the @WhiteHouse to bear witness to my fellow Americans calling on @POTUS & @VP to protect voting rights & enact #DCStatehood.
~4 million Americans are disenfranchised in DC, PR, & territories.
Millions more will be if Congress doesn’t act now to protect our democracy. pic.twitter.com/zlJiFkaEaf— Alex Howard (@digiphile) November 17, 2021
The event featured participants from around the country, including faith leaders, civil rights activists, young elected officials, labor leaders, and students. Activists traveled from locations including Atlanta, Augusta, Baltimore, Charlottesville, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Hartford, CT, Minneapolis, New York City, and as far away as California, Florida, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Wisconsin.
We’re lined up and ready to risk arrest to protect our vote.
Our democracy can’t afford to wait. #VotingRightsNow pic.twitter.com/o5SFYx39zY
— People For the American Way (@peoplefor) November 17, 2021
The crowd is chanting “what do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” #VotingRightsNow pic.twitter.com/BoTQlY08vw
— People For the American Way (@peoplefor) November 17, 2021
As those risking arrest gathered behind the police barricades, radio host and activist Joe Madison spoke to the crowd about his hunger strike for voting rights, which was eleven days in at the time of the protest (and is still ongoing). “Just as solid food is essential for life,” Madison told the crowd, “understand – the vote is essential for democracy.”
In front of the White House today, @MadisonSiriusXM says that: “Just as food is necessary to sustain life, the right to vote is necessary to sustain democracy.” #VotingRightsNow pic.twitter.com/9VBDeexlF7
— People For the American Way (@peoplefor) November 17, 2021
Reverend William Barber II spoke to the crowd, urging President Biden to stop letting cowardly members of Congress control and undermine our country.
Dr. Rev. Barber tells a crowd of hundreds why #VotingRightsNow is so crucial. pic.twitter.com/jarJfqhjt6
— People For the American Way (@peoplefor) November 17, 2021
Charly Carter, executive director of Democracy Initiative, said that we’re protesting for action right now – not some distant point in the future.
Charly Carter of @Unite4Democracy tells the crowd of hundreds why fighting so hard for #votingrightsnow is necessary for each and every one of us. pic.twitter.com/CnYtIqG4ml
— People For the American Way (@peoplefor) November 17, 2021
BRRAKING: These are the last of the more than 200 people just arrested in front of the White House for #VotingRightsNow. We’re not going anywhere, @POTUS – not until you lead on voting rights protections! pic.twitter.com/rq4goyhwmX
— People For the American Way (@peoplefor) November 17, 2021
You can watch the full livestream of the event here:
The day before this massive direct action took place, People For President Ben Jealous talked about how proud he was that this movement has turned into a truly multi-generational effort spanning coalitions and issue areas.
Shortly before risking arrest for voting rights, People For’s Deputy Director of Leadership Programs, Markus Batchelor, said that we need President Biden to work on more than the infrastructure of our roads and bridges – we need him to work on the infrastructure of our democracy, too.
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Earlier that day, Ebony Martin, co-executive director of Greenpeace, explains that if we want climate justice, we need voting rights.
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“Without voting rights,” says Dr. Deborah Ann Turner, President of the League of Women Voters, “we are not a democracy.”
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Rev. Jane Thomas, a member of People For’s African American Ministers in Action, tells us that she was joining us at the White House to make a difference in this world.
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