Deputy Ilhan Omar said on Sunday that she supports boycotts in Georgia over the state’s new electoral laws – she is breaking with activist Stacey Abrams on the matter.
Speaking to CNN’s State of the Union, Omar (D-Minn.) Was asked if she agreed with Major League Baseball’s decision to remove the All-Star Game from Atlanta in protest against the law.
“We know boycotts have led to justice in many areas. The civil rights movement was rooted in boycotts. We know that, you know, apartheid ended in South Africa because of boycotts, ”said the progressive Minnesota congressman.
“So we hope, you know, this boycott will result in legislative changes, because we understand that when you limit people’s voting rights, you are creating a democracy that is not fully functioning for all of us, and if we are to have a To remain a beacon of hope for all democracies around the world, we must hold out, ”she continued.
Abrams, the state’s unsuccessful 2018 Democratic governor candidate, argued against a boycott in an op-ed published by USA Today on Wednesday, after weeks of public outcry, including from Hollywood and numerous companies.
[B]oycotts are complicated affairs that require a long-term commitment to action. I have no doubt that colored voters, especially black voters, are ready to endure the rigors of boycotts. But I don’t think that’s necessary – yet, ”she wrote in the piece.
The legislation in question, signed late last month by Governor Brian Kemp, is revising election protocols in the state of Peach, imposing new restrictions on postal voting, and increasing legal control over the voting process.
President Biden initially referred to the bill as “Jim Crow on steroids” the day after it was signed, but went even further last Wednesday, saying he would “vigorously” support moving MLB’s midsummer classic in protest.
“I think today’s professional athletes are acting incredibly responsibly,” Biden said in an interview with ESPN. “I would strongly support them in this. People watch them. They are leaders. “