By David Amaya
It is human nature's desire to be heard. It is the essence of democracy. Democracy in America changed the world forever, for democracy is the reason the word patriotism exists. Patriotic Crystal Mason cast a provisional ballot and was sentenced to five years in prison. Never mind the nuances of Mason's case; look to the 15th Amendment for guidance.
The 15th Amendment states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." One can make many deductions from this single sentence that stems from the post-Civil War Reconstruction era. We pay attention to race because inequities are denied, hence the question of voter fraud versus voter suppression. What is race, color, and previous servitude without a distinction of privilege and disadvantage?
Many public-school textbooks hide the truth when it comes to race and color, but BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) were even at one point considered to be three-fifths of a person. When it comes to every citizen’s right to vote, race and color should be a threshold that is a vital signifier of a healthy democracy. H.R. 1, the For the People Act, upholds Section 2 of the 15thAmendment: that “Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”
Race and color (even "previous servitude") have many derivative consequences, as well as causes when it comes to equity and just legislation in our nation. Mason is a resident of the most prominent Republican city in the country, Fort Worth, Texas. Voter turnout is highest in urban areas, including states like Texas. There is no homogeny in urban areas except the idea that "I will do better." That is to say, areas of high voter turnout are made up of people like Mason -- those who are disadvantaged but have hope for themselves and selflessly, for others.
While many will argue, "states retain the right to set voting laws within their borders," please direct them not only to the 15thAmendment but the history behind it as well. Alleged widespread voter fraud does not justify abridging the voting rights of millions of citizens when the instances of voter fraud (1,328, according to The Heritage Foundation’s most recent numbers) are less than the 11,780 votes requested be found in Georgia by suspicious Donald Trump in 2020. The justice system exists to make voting wrongs right. When an individual cannot vote at all, democracy loses faith and, with it, the suppression of a voice that wants liberty and justice for all.