To: Greg Sankey, Commissioner, Southeast Conference (SEC)
SEC: ask the governor to re-open Alabama driver license offices
When the state of Alabama closed 31 driver license bureaus, 8 counties with predominantly Black voter registration rolls lost their license office. When combined with the voter ID laws, these closings not only make it difficult for low income rural communities to secure a picture ID, but is reminiscent of a shameful history of Black voter suppression in the state of Alabama.
We urge the SEC should stand up for the democratic rights of your audience and the dignity of your student athletes. We are asking you to do the right thing: lend your voice and ask Alabama Governor Robert J. Bentley to immediately re-open driver license bureaus statewide.
We urge the SEC should stand up for the democratic rights of your audience and the dignity of your student athletes. We are asking you to do the right thing: lend your voice and ask Alabama Governor Robert J. Bentley to immediately re-open driver license bureaus statewide.
Why is this important?
Just one year after enforcing the controversial government ID requirement for voting, the state of Alabama made it even harder to vote by closing 31 driver license offices throughout the state. But the closures did not impact all Alabamans equally- the 8 counties with the highest Black voter registration now have no driver license bureaus as all, as do other predominantly rural and low-income counties. The closures led to national outcry about the history of Black voter suppression in the state and the threat to the democratic process for rural communities.
The Southeast Conference (SEC) is one of the most respected collegiate sports conferences in the country, boasting a membership of 14 public universities, including Auburn and the University of Alabama. With headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama, this beloved institution can be so much more than a bystander to injustice in it's own backyard.
By lending it's considerable voice to this important issue, not only can the SEC model good corporate citizenship, but will also lend important moral support to an important segment of fans and send a positive message to the disproportionate number of Black student athletes among its membership.
The Southeast Conference (SEC) is one of the most respected collegiate sports conferences in the country, boasting a membership of 14 public universities, including Auburn and the University of Alabama. With headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama, this beloved institution can be so much more than a bystander to injustice in it's own backyard.
By lending it's considerable voice to this important issue, not only can the SEC model good corporate citizenship, but will also lend important moral support to an important segment of fans and send a positive message to the disproportionate number of Black student athletes among its membership.