MP Ilhan Omar said on Sunday that she supports boycotts in Georgia over the state’s new voting laws – breaking with activist Stacey Abrams on the issue.
Speaking to CNN’s State of the Union, Omar (D-Minn.) Was asked whether she agreed with Major League Baseball’s decision to withdraw the Atlanta All-Star Game in protest against the law.
“We know that boycotts have allowed justice to be served in many spaces. The civil rights movement was rooted in boycotts. We know that, you know, apartheid ended in South Africa because of boycotts, ”said the progressive Congresswoman from Minnesota.
“So our hope is that, you know, this boycott will result in changes in the law because we understand that when you restrict people’s voting capacity, you create a democracy that doesn’t work for all of us, and if we are to continue to be a beacon of hope for all democracies around the world, we must stand firm, ”she continued.
Abrams, the failed state candidate for 2018 Democratic governor, presented her case against a boycott in an article published on Wednesday by USA Today, after weeks of public outrage, including from Hollywood and several corporations.
“[B]Jobs are complicated matters that require a long-term commitment to action. I have no doubt that voters of color, especially black voters, are willing to endure the adversities of boycotts. But I don’t think that’s necessary – yet, ”she wrote in the article.
The legislation in question, signed by Governor Brian Kemp at the end of last month, revises the electoral protocols in the state of Peach, placing new restrictions on voting by mail and increasing legislative control over the voting process.
President Biden initially referred to the bill as “Jim Crow on steroids” the day after it was signed, but went even further last Wednesday, saying he would “strongly support” the transfer of the MLB mid-summer classic in protest.
“I think today’s professional athletes are acting incredibly responsible,” said Biden in an interview with ESPN. “I would support them strongly by doing this. People look at them. They are leaders. “