On this year's Martin Luther King Jr. day, the oldest son of the prominent civil rights figure, Martin Luther King III, and his wife Arndrea Waters King is urging leaders in Congress to "rein in" the Supreme Court to "save democracy."
A minister and activist, Martin Luther King Jr. was the leader of the American civil rights movement, starting in 1955 until his assassination in 1968. King served as a minister until his leadership of the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott made King a national figure in the civil rights movement. He led a number of protests after that, including the Albany Movement, the Birmingham campaign, the March on Washington, and the Selma voting rights movement in 1965. King's oldest son, King III, has followed in his late father's footsteps as a civil rights activist, global humanitarian and political leader who has worked to advocate for social justice and change.
On Monday, in an op-ed published by the Guardian, King III and his wife Arndrea warn that while America prepares for a critical 2024 election, the Supreme Court is headed towards a darker path that impacts civil liberties with conservative justices.
"As a Maga supermajority, these justices have undone established rulings and legal norms in an attempt to reverse the progress of modern America and to systematically unravel Black political power. We – alongside United for Democracy – are calling on leaders in Congress to rein in the Supreme Court. Congress must conduct immediate hearings, investigations and reforms to fix the institution that is harming the Americans it is tasked to protect," the op-ed read.
Newsweek has reached out to King III, United for Democracy and the Supreme Court via email for comment.
In the op-ed, the King's continue to stress that with the 2024 election voter rights and Black voters are essential to "save democracy" despite ongoing voter suppression.
"With the election right around the corner, and in the face of endless attacks aimed at dismantling my father's legacy, Black voters will again be expected to "save democracy," the op-ed states.
"As our communities again prepare to out-organize voter suppression, we need those vying for votes to show that – on the other side of the victory speeches – they are committed to building a democracy that no longer needs saving, a democracy that reflects Dr Martin Luther King Jr's vision. That means restoring integrity to the Supreme Court," the op-ed adds.
In addition, in a statement emailed to Newsweek, United for Democracy reiterated the importance the Supreme Court has going into the 2024 election.
"The Supreme Court has become one of the biggest threats to American democracy — from the Dobbs decision that overturned abortion access to the Bruen ruling that made it harder to keep our communities safe from gun violence," Stasha Rhodes, campaign director of United for Democracy, said in a statement.
"This Court has become more corrupt over decades, pandering to the wealthy few, and now all Americans are feeling the consequences. But people are taking notice. Heading into this next election, Americans will remember the Supreme Court as they head to the ballot box. We demand leaders at all levels who defend our freedoms — not strip them away," Rhodes added.
This comes as voting measures continue to take hits across the country.
A Florida state senator is seeking to curb the amount of mail-in voting by restricting those who are allowed to use the service.
Republican Blaise Ingoglia is pushing a Senate bill that reduces the eligibility of voters able to mail in their ballot by imposing a strict set of conditions.
The move has been controversial across the state and the wider United States, with critics arguing that it could amount to voter suppression or an attempt to influence electoral outcomes. But supporters argue that it would tighten up electoral security and protect the democratic process.
This comes as criticisms over voting measures have ramped up since Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, was indicted on four counts in August by the Department of Justice in relation to attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election that led to the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The former president claimed that the election was stolen from him via widespread voter fraud. Trump has pled not guilty and has said that the case against him is politically motivated.
Update 1/16/24, 5:55 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include comment from United For Democracy.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York. Her focus is reporting on education, social justice ... Read more
