Black Georgia Pastors and Activists Respond to End of Legislative Session, Call on Voters to Remember Immoral Bills at the Voting Booth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
MEDIA CONTACT
Austin Schuler, aschuler@faithinpubliclife.org, 540-280-3393
Black Georgia Pastors and Activists Respond to End of Legislative Session, Call on Voters to Remember Immoral Bills at the Voting Booth
Fenika Miller, “It is just blatant attacks on our democracy, a slap in the face to Black and Brown voters.”
Atlanta, GA - On Tuesday, April 5, Georgia pastors and activists joined together to respond to the end of Georgia’s legislative session.
This session was marked by contentious bills that attempted to further suppress the right to vote, vindictive schemes that looked to punish our state’s teachers for teaching their students facts and a host of other important proposals. Georgia faith leaders came together to rally Georgians to respond to the bills that are headed to Governor Brian Kemp’s desk and ask voters to remember this session as they head to the voting booth for primary elections in May and a general election in November.
For video of the event, click here.
Rev. Timothy McDonald, First Iconium Baptist Church, Atlanta
“We want everybody to vote. We want every vote to be counted. And we're not talking about partisan politics. What we are about is Georgia voters. And we want to protect all of the votes in Georgia and not have a small group of politicized appointees to determine how elections turn out in the state of Georgia.”
Fenika Miller, Black Voters Matter, Atlanta
“Last night, the legislature rushed the passage of SB 441, again leaning into the big lie and attacking our democracy. It is just blatant attacks on our democracy, a slap in the face to Black and Brown voters. Black and Brown voters who have seen these tactics and these strategies before, who've lived through Jim Crow tactics, who've been organizing in communities to increase turnout and to have Black and Brown communities and all Georgians lean into their power. And it's a shame.”
Dr. Brenda Smith, Presbytery of Atlanta Peace and Global Witness Partnership
“We're in this for the long haul. We cannot step away and say, okay, the legislative year has ended as of midnight last night. Our work continues. We do not stop. We don't have a vacation.”
Rev. Lee May, Transforming Faith Church, Decatur
“For some reason, the elections office, the state elections office and board isn't enough. And we have to do all these things on top of what was done during the last session to address the boogeyman of election integrity.”
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Faith in Public Life Action is a national movement of clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice, equality and the common good. Together, with a network of over 50,000 leaders, they are leading the fight to advance just policies at the state and federal level that affirm our values and the human dignity of all.