Wendy Davis To Me Today at 2:41 PM Dear Calvin, This past weekend, I had the opportunity to commemorate Juneteenth a few days early at one of my favorite annual events. I walked shoulder-to-shoulder with dedicated leaders from across the community in Fort Worth’s annual Juneteenth Parade. Among them was Opal Lee, an activist and historian who has touched countless lives in Texas and beyond. Although Ms. Lee is in her mid-80s and the parade route stretched for two-and-a-half miles, as I walked alongside her, she didn’t pause and her energy didn’t flag. And no wonder; this is, essentially, Ms. Lee’s parade. She has presided over it and kept it going for four decades. Each year, the parade in Fort Worth and others across the state are a reminder of June 19, 1865, the day the news that slavery had been abolished reached Texas. The end of slavery in Texas was the first step toward freedom – but not the only step. When Ms. Lee was first able to vote, she was forced to pay a $1.75 poll tax. She and thousands of Americans from all walks of life fought to bring unjust laws like this to an end, moving us all one step closer to freedom. This is a particularly special year for us to celebrate Juneteenth. It marks 50 years since the Freedom Summer and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. These events helped guarantee that the color of our skin and circumstances of our births wouldn’t prevent us from exercising our most basic rights as Americans. That’s why it’s particularly appalling that Greg Abbott and the Texas Republican Party continue to try to roll back the clock on all the progress we’ve made. Among a number of offensive proposals in the platform they produced at their convention a couple of weeks ago was an attempt to repeal the Voting Rights Act. They want to silence voices across our community and prevent them from participating in that important and special privilege: voting. Walking with Ms. Lee along the Juneteenth parade route was a reminder of our history and of the fight that’s still ahead. The road to freedom stretches before us. And we cannot rest or sit by if we want to achieve the equality for which so many have fought. On this Juneteenth, I ask you to honor our shared legacy, take a step toward a brighter future, and lift your voice by making sure that you, your family, and your friends are registered to vote. If you haven’t registered yet, click here to find out how to get registered. If you are, please forward this email to a friend who may not be. Thank you, Wendy Pol. adv. paid for by Wendy R. Davis for Governor, Inc. This email was sent to [email protected] Click here to unsubscribe wendydavistexas
Posted on: Thu, 19 Jun 2014 21:42:57 +0000
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