Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection continues via Big Lie, voter suppression

6th Jan 2022

The Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection where radicalized Donald Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol cannot be forgotten. It cannot be shrugged off. It cannot be ignored.

“Moving forward” does not mean running away from the truth, nor should it. We must instead embrace what happened and acknowledge that – despite its many strengths – democracy is as fragile as it is sacred, especially when the peaceful transfer of power is violated by violent or vile methods.

We must call a lie a lie. And the continual lie that the election was somehow stolen is a lie and nothing more. All legal challenges, data and audits have proven and underscored that fact. Unfortunately, when a relentlessly repetitive lie becomes a mantra, it can drown out the truth to many ears and many minds.

It is important to note that the mob’s action in the Jan. 6 fatal attack does not represent or reflect the core values of all Trump supporters, of course. But many more Trump supporters and leaders of his party must find the fortitude to speak out against such attacks on our democracy, which are occurring in various ways yet today.

All Americans should come out in support of free elections by denouncing the Big Lie, and by opposing any and all attempts to limit elections, and speak out against underhanded ways by legislators to gain the power to overrule the vote of the people.

Make no mistake about it: Jan. 6, 2021 was a year ago, but democracy is under continual attack. Some 400 pieces of voter-suppression legislation were introduced last year.

Democracy speaks loudest through nonviolent movements and actions. But to be successful, the people must be speak up and stand up, with too many of us still standing silent on the sidelines.

Complaining is not enough. Democracy is a participatory exercise beyond mere free speech. The Latino voice must translate into the Latino vote. To be truly heard, we must register to vote and we must vote in significantly higher numbers than in the past to ensure our voice is heard loud and clear.

CPLC Action Fund will continue to fight for free elections for all. In the weeks and months to come, CPLC Action Fund, Chicanos Por La Causa and other Latino groups will seek to register to vote an unprecedented number of members of the Latino and marginalized communities. Voter engagement and voter education will follow, along with the very goal itself: Get out the vote.

We must all serve, protect and defend democracy. And we will do so, not by insurrection but by casting a ballot despite extremism, obstacles, politics and, yes, insurrection. We will do so by voting.