The Real News Louisiana

WASHINGTON — In reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana vs. Callais, NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson released the following statement:

“Today’s decision is a devastating blow to what remains of the Voting Rights Act, and a license for corrupt politicians who want to rig the system by silencing entire communities. The Supreme Court betrayed Black voters, they betrayed America, and they betrayed our democracy. This ruling is a major setback for our nation and threatens to erode the hard-won victories we’ve fought, bled, and died for. But the people still can fight back. Our best defense and offense is the ballot box, and we’re going to turn out voters for the midterm elections to make sure we can elect representatives who look out for us. Our democracy is crying for help.”

Kristen Clarke, NAACP General Counsel added:

“This is one of the most-consequential and devastating rulings issued by the Supreme Court in the 21st Century. The Supreme Court has put the death knell into our nation’s most important federal civil rights law, one that provided Black Americans access to a democracy that they had long been excluded from. The ruling defies precedent, ignores statutory text, and will reverse decades of progress we have made as a nation. This will embolden lawmakers in former slave-holding states to target and eradicate districts that have provided Black Americans a fair opportunity to elect candidates of choice, and they will do so with the blessing of this Court. It ignores the tremendous sacrifice made by Americans who bled and died for passage of the Voting Rights Act.

“Expect more Americans to call into question the integrity and independence of this Court which is moving unabashedly and at lightning speed to dismantle our bedrock civil rights protections.

“The NAACP will not stand by idly in the face of this ruling which seeks to diminish our standing and render us second-class citizens. This is not a moment for any one of us to sit on the sidelines. We are witnessing the full machinery of government aided by the Court disenfranchising and silencing Black America and hijacking democracy as we know it. We will continue to fight and ensure that our voices are heard this midterm election cycle.”