At a civil rights conference on Monday (July 18), Vice President Kamala Harris told the gathering that the freedoms of Americans were under assault because of “extremist so-called leaders” that wanted to prevent abortion access and restrict voting.
During her keynote address at the NAACP National Convention in Atlantic City, N.J., Harris asserted that “Extremist so-called leaders who are attempting to undermine our democracy and assault our most fundamental freedoms.”
Although she didn’t call out these “so-called leaders” by name, she alluded to a Republican-led effort to restrict access to abortions — following the Supreme Court ruling that removed federal protection for abortions, returning the decision to states — and GOP-controlled state legislatures enacting voting restrictions.
The Vice President drew a link between the two rights, emphasizing that the right to vote is “the freedom that unlocks all others.”
Harris also called out efforts in some states to restrict abortions, contending that the government should not “be making that decision for her.”
She also criticized Republicans who oppose gun restrictions, claiming they were infringing on Americans’ right to safety, and pointing out how their decisions were disproportionately affecting Black communities where gun violence is prevalent.
“Scenes of ordinary life have been turned into war zones by horrific acts of gun violence,” Harris contended as she called for a ban on assault-style rifles.
She then encouraged attendees to vote for Democrats “up and down the ballot,” pointing out that, in the Senate, Democrats only need two more votes to change the filibuster.
