Attorney General Eric Holder called for Louisianans to fight racism in their communities, noting that voting rights discrimination is “all too common” in the United States.
“Unfortunately, in jurisdictions across the country, both overt and subtle forms of discrimination remain all too common,” Holder said today at Tulane University in Louisiana. “And we don’t have to look far to see recent proof.” Holder reminded his audience of a recent redistricting case in which a Louisiana parish “map-drawer began the process by meeting exclusively with white officeholders,” which Holder said produced a map that “diminished the electoral opportunity for African Amerians.”
The Justice Department “objected” to that map, Holder said, and so “the Parish enacted a new, non-discriminatory map.”
Holder called for Americans to support him in fighting voting discrimination. “For every citizen, protecting the right to vote, ensuring meaningful access, and combating discrimination must be viewed, not only as a legal issue – but as a moral imperative,” he said. “And every citizen, in every state, must be part of this work.”
