In a speech at the Congressional Black Caucus Gala on Saturday, Michelle Obama spoke out against efforts to make voting harder, and called the push to protect voting rights "the movement of our era."
Said the First Lady:
It cannot just be "we the people" who had time to spare on Election Day. Can't just be "we the people" who really care about politics, or "we the people" who happened to drive by a polling place on the way home from work. It must be all of us. That is our birthright -- as citizens of this great nation. That fundamental promise that we all get a say in our democracy, no matter who we are, or where we’re from, or what we look like -- yeah, or who we love.”
She continued:
"So we cannot let anyone discourage us from casting our ballots. We cannot let anyone make us feel unwelcome in the voting booth. It is up to us to make sure that in every election, every voice is heard and every vote is counted. And that means making sure our laws preserve that right."
Lately, Republicans in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Texas, and numerous other states have all attempted to make it more difficult to vote, disproportionately affecting racial minorities and the poor.
The First Lady's speech was highlighted by Rev. Al Sharpton on PoliticsNation Monday. Read her full remarks here.
Last month, Michelle Obama wowed the Democratic National Convention with her speech.
