Faith Communities Must Stand Together Against SCOTUS’ Attack on VRA and the Achievements of the Civil Rights Movement

Interfaith Alliance, a leading national advocate for religious freedom and civil rights, responded today to the alarming Supreme Court ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, which effectively dismantles Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. 

Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, released the following statement: 

“This decision is part of a clear attempt to undermine and erase the hard-win achievements of the civil rights movement, which so many people of faith in this country – and especially so many Black Americans – dedicated their lives to. The majority of Supreme Court justices have now clearly placed themselves on the wrong side of a struggle that has defined our history – opposing the vision and achievements of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and all those who have struggled for equality and justice for all. 

This is the latest destructive piece of a broader anti-democratic agenda intended to suppress the voting rights and political freedoms of Black Americans and other minorities in our country – all in order to allow the authoritarian right-wing to shore up its hold on power. We cannot allow it to succeed. 

Faith communities have played a central role in the battle for progress throughout American history, and in the struggle to evolve our country over time into a diverse, multifaith, multiracial democracy. Today, with our fundamental freedoms under attack and powerful forces working to roll back the clock to a more discriminatory, repressive and unequal era, we are called to respond – and push back. 

Diverse faith leaders and communities across the country can and will stand together with a wide range of partners to mobilize in defense of democracy, voting rights, and the promise of America as a country where are people are created – and treated - equally.”

‍

####

‍

‍Interfaith Alliance and Interfaith Alliance Foundation are a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information, visit interfaithalliance.org.

‍