Barack Obama reminds us of ever-present threat of voter suppression in John Lewis eulogy.

Barack Obama reminds us of ever-present threat of voter suppression in John Lewis eulogy

On Thursday, during a eulogy for the late Rep. John Lewis in Georgia, former President Barack Obama took aim at the current administration and criticized an ever-present threat to our democracy: voter suppression. 
"...there are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting, by closing polling locations, and targeting minorities and students with restrictive I.D. laws, and attacking our voting right with surgical precision, even undermining the postal service to an election that's going to be dependent on mail-in ballot so people don't get sick," said Obama during his eulogy of Lewis. 
Obama said he was cognizant that some people would probably rather he not dwell on politics during the former Congressman's funeral. But to ignore it would undermine what Lewis spent his life advocating for. 
"John Lewis devoted his time on this Earth, fighting the very attacks on democracy and what's best for America that we're seeing circulate right now," Obama said. 
Indeed, during a march for voting rights, Lewis was brutally beaten and almost died as he led marchers across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in 1965.
bill to restore the Voting Rights Act, named after Lewis, has passed the House but is still waiting for Senate approval. 
“You want to honor John? Let's honor him by revitalizing the law he was willing to die for," Obama said in reference to the act. "Naming it the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, that is a fine tribute. But John wouldn't want us to stop there, just trying to get back to where we already were."
The former president also encouraged people to tap into their talents to keep our democracy alive.
"He knew that every single one of us has a God-given power and the fate of this democracy depends on how we use it," Obama said. "That democracy isn't automatic. It has to be nurtured." 

Comments

  1. I wouldn't be surprised if John Lewis spoke with President Obama about things he'd like in his eulogy. I don't think he left everything to chance. JL knew this man could deliver.

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  2. What was his political agenda other than to bring comfort to his family by reminding them how much we the American public admired and loved Rep. John Lewis and how much he will be missed. RIP

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  3. Obviously none of you listened to his speech. Stop acting like you care even remotely about the life and legacy of John Lewis.

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    1. I think 95% of the people on this feed care more about his legacy than they do about your existence!

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    2. How can you honestly question my feelings towards John Lewis?

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    3. Obviously you HEARD but you did not LISTEN

      about 12 min into this bull crap.... he ADMITS he PRESUMED what the COPS were saying after John got hit in the head...

      AND HIS PRESUMPTION BASED ON ADMITTED IGNORANCE WAS THE COPS WERE RACISTS...

      The of course tied this into George Floyd who was not beating at all, and died at the hands of THREE PEOPLE OF COLOR.

      Obama clearly like the dead man in the casket is a RACIST set on dividing America.

      Dont believe me.... LISTEN TO THE REACTION HE GOT WHEN HE SAID IT!

      WAKE THE HELL UP!

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    4. Literally the second most ignorant comment I’ve read today. Only second to Claire Gerke whose most ignorant post on the Mashable thread appeared first.

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    5. So very sad for all of you. I will pray for you.

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    6. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=134426806697693&id=100001734194077&hc_location=ufi

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  4. President Obama and Michelle graciously served this country. They did it with class. There will always be haters. To speak about voting in a eulogy about a man who was a corner stone in the civil rights movement is not disrespectful. It would be however to ignore his journey that began as a 17 year old boy. Have we forgotten the work of the civil rights movement? Have we forgotten there is still work to be done? No negative comments.

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  5. FYI ..... his eulogy was pre- approved by the family.

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  6. Obama rocks! I miss a President that can speak in full sentence.

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    1. errrr, you gonna be surely disappointed if Joe gets elected. He is good for comic relief though.

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    2. https://youtu.be/Ftpc4fwcDfk

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    3. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=134426806697693&id=100001734194077&hc_location=ufi

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    4. That's all ever did.

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    5. if Joe gets elected I will be glad I'm not going to live many more years.

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    6. aaaaaaannnnnndddddd that's it

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    7. well you won’t with Trump either then. So it really shouldn’t matter for you.

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  7. And there’s also that he speaks in complete sentences...

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  8. Yeah. You’re right on the money. I mean, a guy who got his skull fractured in an effort to secure the voting rights of American citizens certainly wouldn’t want people talking about that sort of silly stuff when eulogizing him. Said no one.

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  9. Shoot what’s appropriate anymore with trump as Prez. He finally spoke his truth without worry as prez. Kuddos to our President Obama for not chickening out and stating truth that Mr Lewis would approve. Geesh.

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  10. No one has broken more laws than your President and his cronies who he has to pardon every 2 minutes

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    Replies
    1. prove it, we're all waiting

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    2. i don’t know who you are answering, I was asking what crimes did Obama commit

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    3. sorry, I clicked the wrong link. My mistake. No harm intended.

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    4. Somehow I double clicked you by accident. My bad.

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    5. you need some major education Obama pardoned hundreds lol

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    6. did he pardon people he selected in his cabinet

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    7. not that gavw been proven yet. but just wait

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    8. maybe you should research that ;D

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    9. Youre talking about Obama. Correct?

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  11. She is part of the trump cult. No common sense and can’t think for herself and believes all his lies are the truth. Also all the people who have died because of his mismanagement is a hoax. That’s why we need new and younger blood in this cane these old white people is what is wrong with this country.

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    Replies
    1. I am 66, white, and female, and believe Trump and his minions are a scourge. Please don’t generalize. I think the bigger problem is where they live - the South!

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  12. That would be all well and good, but I got a better idea, why don't we make a law that says voter suppression of any kind, i.e. blocking any American citizen from voting in any way, a 25 year federal felony. That means that anyone, and I mean anyone who tries to make a law making it harder for anyone to vote, or any government official closing polling places to make it harder to vote should be arrested and tried in federal court and jailed for no less than 25 years. Oh, and have their own right to run for government office of any kind taken away permanently.
    If you were born here in this country and are over the age of 18, or if you are a naturalized citizen over the age of 18, you are eligible and should be allowed to vote.

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    1. whos stopping them !!

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    2. Republican State Party chairmen, for one. They gerrymander districts to insure that minority districts are marginalized. And they make sure that there are fewer polling places in black neighborhoods, shorter hours of operation & fewer voting machines.

      https://www.usnews.com/.../long-lines-frustrate-houston...

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  13. What are you talking about? He has no political agenda. There is nothing more he can gain from politics and there was no disrespect shown at all.

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  14. How wonderful to hear apolitician speak so eloquently. We haven’t heard apresident speak with such eloquence since he left. Wish he could be back and he would know how to help people during this pandemic.

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    Replies
    1. Trump can point out an elephant.

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  15. So good to see smart people opposing blind and arrogant comments from from these closed-minded and entitled fools.

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  16. So good to see smart people opposing blind and arrogant comments from from these closed-minded and entitled fools.

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  17. How many executive orders did he sign that reduce the populations rights ? Remind me pls

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  18. Everything is political and every event an opportunity to vent...

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  19. He is a..... Facebook will put me in Facebook jail if I use the words I'm thinking.

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  20. More than ever we need to demand for a voters ID.

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    Replies
    1. just as many millions know he is wrong, he he

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  21. Bill. He doesn’t deserve jail trump does but I’ll be happy just to be rid of him in Nov

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  22. Searching for loopholes at a eulogy. Only the Dems.

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  23. He needs to shut up, he's not for the USA

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  24. There is no voter suppression.

    https://media1.tenor.co/images/5b4a3ee63e79b71aeeb3fb068ce13b99/tenor.gif?itemid=5892980

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    1. of course there is voter suppression. -- GOP dumping the Voters Rights Act, gerrymandering, closure of polling places in predominantly poor and black neighborhoods, absentee ballots arriving in black neighborhoods with the ballot envelope already sealed. Not to worry, there's a cure for white privilege blindnes: Just take off your rose-colored glasses.

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  25. Nope, no voter suppression.

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  26. What political purposes? He did that for John Lewis !!!

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  27. Where have you been the last 3 years while Trump was president? Sit in a corner like the 3 monkeys, hands over eyes, ears and mouth and turned your brain off?

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  28. Yep! for sure Trump is a threat to democracy! No doubt about it.

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  29. He needs to shut up and get deported

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  30. Girl by maybe you get your head out Trump ... you might learn something

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  31. you. have your days, just shut up

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  32. He has a forked tongue!

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  33. Is he campaigning for Quid Pro Quo Biden in a funeral?

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    Replies
    1. No, he spoke of the things Lewis fought for all his life and what he stood for and was working for up until the day he died. Those present stood and applauded. So what right do you have to try to turn it into something else?

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  34. Not the time to politic

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    Replies
    1. Lewis' life was political, and all three former presidents who spoke honored that.

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    2. I guess you were sleeping when Obama gave a political speech no mask and you did not see the news say anything about the pack church shoulder to shoulder

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  35. Isn’t this mind candy?

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  36. Go home to your multi million dollar mansion and keep your lying mouth shut

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  37. Hey Bill Annunzio wasn’t this Lewis guy in the olympics or something, or was it maybe he was a boxer.

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