Michiganders: Protest the Insurrection and Call for Voting Reform at January 6th Vigil
By MUUSJN on Wednesday, December 29th, 2021
Join a Vigil for Democracy Near You or– Organize One in Your Community –To Demand Adoption of Voting Reforms
On January 6, 2021, a faction of politicians turned their backs on American democracy to incite armed right wing militants to storm the Capitol on same day Congress was voting to approve the results of the 2020 election. In spite of former Attorney General William Bar’s declaration that “there was no widespread voter fraud”, shameless conservative officials have been following a playbook of claiming that the 2020 election was “stolen” by fraud. In a very recent Michigan ballot proposal, they call for sham “audits” and continue to promote fake voter reforms in the “Secure MI Vote” ballot proposal. This proposal include a ban on using places of worship as donated polling places, likely reducing numbers of polling places. In other parts of the country right wing conservatives are passing laws that reduce the number of polling places, early voting and the number of absentee voting drop boxes. They have even intimidated election officials, particularly in districts where many Black and Brown people live. Voters not politicians should decide elections in our country!
The Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) joins a large coalition of organizations sending a strong message of NO! to those who would undermine our democracy. This coalition is also demanding the Senate create a carve out for the filibuster rule so that voting reform legislation, including the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, can be adopted in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden have both vowed to move ahead with filibuster reform and strongly support passage of both bills. For a summary of the John Lewis Voting Advancement Rights Act (H.R. 4), click HERE. The Brennen Center for Justice summarizes the Freedom to Vote Act as “protecting our elections from voter suppression, partisan sabotage, gerrymandering, and dark money”.
Join an in-person Day of Remembrance and Action vigil in Michigan or join a virtual vigil on Wednesday January 6th. Click HERE to see a map of where these vigils are and search for a vigil nearest to you. The page also has a link for signing up to host a vigil. Those who sign up will be sent a toolkit on how to do this. The movement is offering special sessions for vigil hosts on Sunday January 2nd and Tuesday, January 4th.
So far, the following 8 vigils are being planned in Michigan on January 6th:
- Houghton, 5 p.m., 100 Sheldon;
- Cheboygan, 7:30 p.m., Virtual;
- Manistee, 1 p.m., 70 W. Maple;
- Traverse City, 5:30 p.m., (sign up for location)
- Battle Creek, 6:30 p.m., (sign up for location)
- Rochester Hills, 4:30 p.m.1015 Livernois;
- Dearborn, 7 p.m., Virtual
- Detroit, 7 p.m., Virtual
Click HEREto sign up for these vigils for more information or find others not yet listed.
Before it’s too late, share this information with people in your community!
Category: Action Alert |