Leona Wieland
Sartell
Hip, hip, hurray! I counted 17 ways to “restore” our nation in Dennis Dalman’s Dec. 11 Newsleaders’ column titled, “Let’s begin the national restoration.” And it seems in his first week in office, President Biden has achieved or has made eight of these happen. It’s a beginning, and if there’s more to achieve with every goal, we know the process will be discussion and debate for the sake of improving all lives.
In regard to restoring voting rights, illegal voter suppression and 50 years of civil rights laws – throughout 400 years of slavery – let’s support President Biden in righting these immoral wrongs. As reported by the Brennan Center for Justice, “Between 2014 and 2016, states deleted almost 16 million people from voter registration lists…enacted new voter ID laws even as they created more barriers to obtaining this newly required ID…the cumulative effect of reducing voter participation of marginalized people and immigrants, both of whom were seen as more likely to vote Democrat.” (Caste, Isabel Wilkerson, p. 318)
We should never forget that we’re a nation of immigrants. And just because some came before others, a generous God rewards kindness and justice accordingly.
