This Will Not Stand
Like most of you, we watched last night as President Trump refused to condemn white supremacists. When he said, “Proud Boys: Stand Back and Stand By”, they knew it was a rallying cry for them. They knew that they have the support of the leader of the United States. This group is listed as a h ate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and labeled as “hard-core white supremacists” by the Anti-Defamation League. Not only did our President not condemn them and other white supremacists, but he let them know he is with them, and for them to stand by for further directives.
These are not misstatements by the President. This is the same man who would not distance himself from longtime KKK leader, David Duke, in 2016. This is the same man who would not condemn the white supremacists who marched in Charlottesville, Virginia in 2017. This is the same man who said that “The Squad” should go back to their countries and fix those “broken and crime infested places from which they came”. This is the same man who says we should accept people from Norway, but not from “s—hole” countries in Africa. This is the same man who pushed the lie that Barack Obama was not born in the United States.
This is the same man who intentionally lies about fraud in voting, and has told people to “watch” at the polls. Make no mistake that such comments are directed particularly at people of color. They are designed to intimidate them and keep them from voting.
Every volunteer hour and donation we receive is a statement that “This Will Not Stand”. Marginalized voters need us more than ever to help them vote in a way that is safe for them – emotionally and physically. Just like the allies during the Civil Rights protests and marches who walked side by side with Black persons who were simply trying to be treated equally (no greater than and no less than), Rideshare2Vote’s army of volunteers will be their for voters. Our drivers will make sure that voters get safely to their polling site and back home again. Our drivers are armed with the Election Protection Hotline number and will make that call if that becomes necessary. In our short time operating, we have yet to have a voter not be able to vote.
We don’t know what voters will experience who live in predominantly communities of color, but we will be there with them through the entire process so they are not intimidated or alone. Thank you for joining with us at Rideshare2Vote.
