Democracy Under Siege: Honoring Juneteenth Amidst Ongoing Struggles for Equality
As we commemorate Juneteenth, we reflect on the day the Emancipation Proclamation was fully enforced in the Southern United States. But the struggle continues for equality and justice.
Juneteenth:
Juneteenth is directly tied to the history of democracy in the United States, emphasizing the need to secure our democracy to uplift Black Americans nationwide.
This day is an opportunity to celebrate progress while acknowledging the ongoing work needed towards a fully inclusive democracy.
We must call out MAGA extremists and anti-democratic politicians for targeting voting rights and promoting voter suppression laws that impact Black and Brown communities.
A recommitment to a nationwide movement prioritizing voting rights protections, freeing our politics of violence, and ensuring Black Americans' equitable enjoyment of democracy is essential.
Talking Points for U.S. v. Skrmetti:
The ruling allows states to deny trans youth access to medically necessary care based on political ideology rather than scientific consensus, affecting over 100,000 transgender children across 26 states.
Gender-affirming care is recognized as life-saving and medically necessary by leading medical organizations, and denying it inflicts harm on transgender children and their families.
The Court's decision applies a lower legal standard, effectively rubber-stamping a politically motivated ban and abandoning transgender children to political whims, as noted by Justice Sotomayor's dissent.
The Roberts Court's ruling undermines its own jurisprudence on sex-based discrimination and serves the MAGA agenda, further marginalizing trans youth and jeopardizing existing protections for marginalized groups.
