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Last Updated on March 28, 2022.

WASHINGTON — Win Without War Executive Director Sara Haghdoosti released the following statement regarding the passage of the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act:

“Our democracy faces a grave crisis. Across the country, the right to vote — one of the most cherished, fundamental rights of the democratic system — is under attack.

“The systematic suppression of the vote is a concerted effort to undermine the will of the people, and a direct attack against Black people, low-income people, people with disabilities, and other marginalized groups whose voices have for too long been suppressed. We must not allow democracy to deteriorate without a fight.

“We applaud yesterday’s passage of the Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, and we join others leading the fight for voting rights in urging the Senate to follow suit next week. Should Republican Senators persist in their unprecedented obstruction, we fully support efforts to modify Jim Crow-era Senate rules to protect one of our most fundamental constitutional rights. 

“Policy, whether foreign or domestic, must be made by and for the people. Our national security is not assured unless the basic, constitutional right to vote is fully protected and accessible to everyone. We cannot allow the progress and victories made by John Lewis, Martin Luther King Jr., and countless others through great sacrifice be torn down by those wishing for a country governed by hatred and exclusion.

“As the great John Lewis once said: ‘My dear friends: Your vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to create a more perfect union.’”

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Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.

January 14, 2022