Rep. John Lewis Connects GOP Voter Suppression To Jim Crow

Source: TPM

Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) used his speech to connect President Obama’s historic election to the movement that ended Jim Crow — and said Republican efforts to suppress the vote were also a throwback to that era.

“I’ve seen this before,” he said Thursday at the Democratic National Convention. “I’ve lived this before. Too many people struggled, suffered and died to make it possible for every American to exercise their right to vote.”

(snip)
“A few years ago, a man from Rock Hill, inspired by President Obama’s election, decided to come forward,” he said. “He came to my office in Washington and said, ‘I am one of the people who beat you. I want to apologize. Will you forgive me?’ I said, ‘I accept your apology.” He started crying. He gave me a hug. I hugged him back, and we both started crying.”

Then the applause line: “This man and I don’t want to go back; we want to move forward!”



Read more: http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/john-lewis-connects-gop-voter-suppression-to-jim-crow.php?ref=fpa

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Civil Rights Icon John Lewis: GOP Voter Suppression Laws Are ‘Not Right,’ ‘Not Fair,’ ‘Not Just’
(snip)
Today it is unbelievable that there are Republican officials still trying to stop some people from voting. They are changing the rules, cutting polling hours and imposing requirements intended to suppress the vote. The Republican leader in the Pennsylvania House even bragged that his state’s new voter ID law is “gonna allow Governor Romney to win the state.” That’s not right. That’s not fair. That’s not just.

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/09/06/810351/civil-rights-icon-john-lewis-gop-voter-suppression-laws-are-not-right-not-fair-not-just/