SIGN THIS OPEN LETTER TO PROTECT OUR INFRASTRUCTURE OF DEMOCRACY

An Open Letter to Members of the US Senate and the White House

Beloved,

We write to you as racially and theologically diverse pastoral leaders of denominations and religious bodies along with Texas state legislators. Together, we are concerned both about the spiritual well-being of souls and the social health of the nation in which we serve. We write as the heirs of moral leaders who pushed for a more perfect union even as they worked to bind up the wounds of those who were injured by this nation’s imperfections. We join the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival to insist that these four actions of the U.S. Senate are connected and must happen immediately for the health of our democracy:

1. End the Filibuster

2. Pass all provisions of the bill John Lewis wrote: The For the People Act

3. Fully restore and expand protections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act

4. Raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hr now

56 years ago, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. issued a call for clergy to join him for a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. On Bloody Sunday the nation had witnessed the brutality of Jim Crow’s determination to suppress African-American votes. This was not simply a political issue, Dr. King insisted. It was a moral issue that demanded the attention of faith leaders. By denying Black people in Alabama the rights guaranteed to all people in America, Jim Crow was denying the image of God in African-Americans and using the power gained by that denial to hurt poor Black and white people. Connecting voter suppression to economic injustice, Dr. King made clear that both were moral issues impacting the very soul of this nation.

More than half a century later, we are saddened to see voter suppression once again adopted as a political strategy. The same lies that were told to incite an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol are being repeated in state houses across America as justification for voter suppression measures that not only make it more difficult for some people to vote but also make it easier for state legislatures to overturn the results of elections they do not like.

In the aftermath of 2020’s challenges to election results, we are seeing a massive form of political insurrection through attempts to block and suppress voting rights in ways that will hurt people of all races and demographics. These attacks are a threat to our democracy itself. They are born of elitist greed and aim to limit access to the ballot and to create disparate impact, especially on communities of color. As in 1965, the moral issue of voter suppression cannot be separated from economic justice. Yes, Black people are targeted by voter suppression as are Native and other people of color. But the politicians who want to hold onto power by suppressing voters use their power to deny living wages and healthcare to poor Black, white, Native, Asian and Latino Americans. Voter suppression is a moral issue that impacts all of us.

For this reason, we join our voices to insist that the filibuster rules of the US Senate must not be allowed to prevent passage of federal voting rights protections this year. The filibuster has been used over and again to subvert democracy by denying the will of the overwhelming majority of Americans who want to protect the promise of unfettered access to the ballot for every American. The filibuster must step aside so that democracy can survive. The filibuster is not in the Constitution, but voting rights are fundamental to the Constitution. The filibuster causes chaos and has been used over the years to block civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights, labor rights, environmental protections, and health care.

Voter suppression and subversion measures have already become law in 18 states this year. This is bigger than any political party. The very soul of our democracy is at stake. For the sake of those we are called to shepherd and the rights of those we were elected to represent, we stand united in this call.

We implore you to not recess until you take action on these matters. Do not give into racism, greed, or political games. Mr. McConnell, join the right side of history and the Constitution. Mr. Schumer, now is the time to do what is right, even with only 51 votes. If 51 votes are good enough for budgets and lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court, they must be good enough to save the life of this democracy.

The three infrastructures we must protect and strengthen now are the voting rights infrastructure of our democracy, the economic and wage infrastructure of poor and low wealth people, and the infrastructure of the roads and bridges, ports and pipes of our nation. There is an urgency to this moment, and we must meet it for the sake of the democracy here and the vision of democracy around the world.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. William Barber, II
Co-Chair, Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
President, Repairers of the Breach

Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis
Co-Chair, Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival
Director, Kairos Center for Religions, Rights and Social Justice

Dr. Jim Winkler
President and General Secretary, National Council of Churches
(38 member communions and over 40 million individuals –100,000 congregations from Protestant, Anglican, Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African-American, and Living Peace traditions)

Joyce Ajlouny
General Secretary, American Friends Service Committee

Dr. Adam Barnes
Co-lead, National Faith Team
Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival

Rev. A. Kazimir Brown
Co-lead, National Faith Team
Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival

The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde
Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Washington

Bishop LaTrelle Easterling
Baltimore-Washington Conference, United Methodist Church

Bishop Yvette A. Flunder
Senior Pastor, City of Refuge United Church of Christ and Presiding Bishop, The Fellowship of Affirming Ministries

Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick-Gray
President, Unitarian Universalist Association

Rev. Jimmie Hawkins
Director of Office of Public Witness, Presbyterian Church (USA)

Roshi Joan Halifax
Founder and Abbot, Upaya Institute and Zen Center

Rev. Frederick D. Haynes, III
Senior Pastor, Friendship West Baptist Church, Dallas Texas and Co-Chair, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc

Rev. Dr. Alvin O’Neal Jackson
National Executive Director,
Mass Poor People's Assembly and Moral March on Washington

Dr. Wendsler Nosie, Sr.
Founder, Apache Stronghold
Former Chairman and Councilman of the San Carlos Apache Tribe

Rev. Terri Hord Owens
General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada

Rev. Sandy Sorenson
Director of Justice and Witness Ministries
United Church of Christ

Michelle Beckley
Texas State Representative, District 65

Jasmine Crockett
Texas State Representative, District 100

Joe Deshotel
Texas State Representative, District 22

Barbara Gervin-Hawkins
Texas State Representative, District 120

Gina Hinojosa
Texas State Representative, District 49

Jarvis Johnson
Texas State Representative, District 139

Ray Lopez
Texas State Representative, District 125

Mando Martinez
Texas State Representative, District 39

Trey Martinez Fischer
Texas State Representative, District 116

Ina Minjarez
Texas State Representative, District 124

Christina Morales
Texas State Representative, District 145

Penny Morales Shaw
Texas State Representative, District 148

Shawn Thierry
Texas State Representative, District 146

Claudia Ordaz Perez
Texas State Representative, District 76

Mary Ann Perez
Texas State Representative, District 144

Ana-Maria Ramos
Texas State Representative, District 102

Richard Raymond
Texas State Representative, District 42

Ron Reynolds
Texas State Representative, District 27

Eddie Rodriguez
Texas State Representative, District 51

Ramon Romero
Texas State Representative, District 90

Carl Sherman
Texas State Representative, District 109