ACLU of Georgia Aggressively Protecting African-American Community’s Hard-Won Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

ACLU of Georgia Aggressively Protecting African-American Community’s Hard-Won Civil Liberties and Civil Rights

by Bunnie Jackson-Ransom, First Class, Inc.
Ana Maria Rosato, ACLU Communications Director

ATLANTA – Under the leadership of executive director Andrea Young, the ACLU of Georgia is aggressively protecting the African-American community’s hard-won civil liberties and civil rights that are under attack as the COVID pandemic ravages the state and nation.

“Any government practice or policy response to the coronavirus must be grounded in science and public health,” Young said. She has called on state officials to release from jail or prison individuals who are low-level offenders, incarcerated awaiting trial because of an inability to pay cash bail, in custody due to an inability to pay fines and fees, or who are 62 or older.

State and local officials must implement procedures to protect all people who are in our prisons and jails from being exposed to and contracting the COVID-19 virus.

“People in custody cannot protect themselves,” she continued. “Placing people at risk by keeping them in jail or prison beyond what is necessary not only is immoral but also poses a far-reaching health threat to the greater community.”

The ACLU of Georgia filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Black Voters Matter challenging the constitutionality of requiring voters to buy postage stamps when submitting mail-in absentee ballots and mailing in absentee ballot applications. This is tantamount to a poll tax.

When the secretary of state announced another government task force in search for the alleged mail-in voter fraud, Young responded. “Election officials should focus their attention on helping people vote with things like paid postage rather than frightening them. The legacy of voter suppression in Georgia creates enough of a hurdle for people voting by mail for the first time.”

Last updated on May 9, 2020