Faith community opposes amendment that would restrict voter rights

Those assembled delivered a copy of a letter opposing the amendment to House and Senate leadership and co-sponsors of the bill. The letter was signed by hundreds of interfaith leaders — both clergy and laity — throughout Minnesota.

A copy of the text of the letter is below.

Pastor Grant Stevensen of St. Matthews Lutheran Church in St. Paul and President of ISAIAH joined more than a dozen interfaith leaders at the press conference. He said, “Democracy with one vote for one person defines who we are as Americans. It is precious. It is also tender and is capable of being ruined. The most American thing to do is everything we can to protect it.”

Rev. Dr. Charles Gill of Pilgrim Baptist Church in St. Paul noted the many hardships facing the African-American community at a time of great economic stress. “I hear the cries of the people as I walk the streets of my community,” Gill said. “I hear the pains that they are experiencing as a result of a lack of income and the housing crisis. Without a vote, they do not stand a chance. Without a vote, there is a threat to steal their opportunity for a pursuit of happiness.”

Rev. Paul Erickson of the St. Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America passionately called on all Minnesotans to protect the voice and vote of their neighbors. “I care about a Minnesota in which all people have a voice,” Erickson said. This constitutional amendment to require a photo ID in order to vote would take away the voice of thousands of Minnesotans and it is wrong. We cannot, we should not, we must not use our constitution as a means to silence the voices of our brothers and sisters. We need everyone’s voice to keep Minnesota great.”

This event was organized by ISAIAH, Jewish Community Action, the Stairstep Foundation, His Works United, the Minnesota State Baptist Convention and Somali Action Alliance.

Text of the letter, which was signed by hundreds of clergy and laity:

Dear Legislative Leaders:

We, as people of faith in the state of Minnesota, urge you not to put a voter ID amendment on the ballot. People of faith believe that all human life is sacred. In virtually all faith traditions, God creates humans with dignity and value. God intends people to participate in the human community, and to be able to do so with inherent respect. We believe that democracy is most complete—and therefore most powerful—when it embraces people on the margins of society. We believe that democracy at its best engages participation from the most diverse and gifted gathering of God’s whole people.

In face of these values, the proposed voter ID referendum in Minnesota seeks to reduce the number of people who participate in our democracy. Passage of the proposed referendum would primarily reduce voters of color, the elderly, students, poor and non-English-speaking voters. Effectively this gives more influence to a smaller number of wealthy, privileged and primarily White voters. Furthermore, passage of the referendum would effectively eliminate voting as a right, making it a privilege instead. People of faith recognize the proposed referendum as an attack on democracy, reducing participation rather than expanding it. It would also increase government expense and power, requiring an expanded system to evaluate and process voter IDs.

A deeply troubling implication recognized by people of faith is that the proposed referendum would reduce the number of people of color who could vote. One of the primary objectives of the civil rights campaign in the US was voter registration. In its attack on citizens’ right to vote, the proposed referendum seeks to increase “white power,” and would dangerously isolate White America from an increasingly diverse and gifted world. People of faith see the proposed referendum as profoundly cynical and backward.

Additionally, the proposed referendum would reduce the number of poor people who could vote, for it will be people of limited economic resource, limited time and limited mobility who will have most difficulty obtaining voter identification cards. By reducing the number of poor who vote, the proposed referendum seeks to increase the political power and influence of the wealthiest and most privileged classes of our society.

It is for these reasons that we urge our legislative leaders to not put the Voter ID amendment on the 2012 ballot and ensure that Minnesota continues a proud legacy of high voter turnout and participation in our democracy.