Photo by Robin Bravender | Arizona Mirror
As a young U.S. Marine Corps veteran, I carry with me the values I served to protect: liberty, democracy, equality and the rights of every American. My four years in the U.S Marine Corps were driven by a desire to defend these ideals, and since gaining my veteran status I carry the phrase Semper Fidelis (always faithful) with me, ever faithful to those values and promises. That’s why, now, as a student at Arizona State University, I’m deeply concerned about how those ideals are being threatened here at home — particularly by the U.S. Supreme Court.
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Recently, the court’s ruling on Arizona’s proof of citizenship requirement for voter registration has raised serious questions about our democracy. This decision not only complicates the voting process but it also undermines our democratic rights and threatens the personal liberties that we, as citizens, are meant to safeguard through our vote. When we restrict access to the ballot box, we strip people of their ability to elect the leaders who share their values, are committed to protecting those freedoms, and leverage their power in our democracy. By suppressing the right to vote, anti-democratic actors are able to advance their dangerous policy agenda, including attacks on reproductive freedom, over the will of the people.
For me, and many of my fellow young veterans, service was about more than just wearing the uniform. It was about contributing to something larger than ourselves, about ensuring that every American has the opportunity to participate fully in our democracy. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has made it harder for people to vote — especially those who have served their country and sacrificed so much and it feels like a betrayal of the very principles we fought for.
It’s hard to serve your country when your country doesn’t serve you. I joined the Marines to fight for this country, its democracy, and its people. So, I’m troubled by a court that seems to favor the powerful over the people.
The impact of this issue goes far beyond veterans — it affects all Americans, particularly those in marginalized communities who already face barriers to exercising their right to vote. The justices in the Supreme Court’s majority have abdicated their duty to interpret the law. Instead, they have empowered forces that seek to suppress democracy, as evidenced by their failure to hold accountable those responsible for the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol — an insurrection built on false claims attempting to invalidate the votes of African Americans and Latinos right here in Maricopa County.
More recently, the Republican National Committee and its allies here in Arizona urged justices of the U.S. Supreme Court to suppress the votes of Arizonans by effectively allowing the state to bar legal voters from registering just weeks before the election. Once again, creating devastating confusion and chaos close to an election — particularly for service members, students, and Native Americans — for the sole purpose of seeking political advantage instead of safeguarding Arizonans’ constitutional right to vote.
Every voice deserves an equal opportunity to be heard, and the operatives seeking to suppress the vote to gain political power are making a mockery of the Constitution I swore an oath to defend.
Arizonans, and all Americans, deserve a U.S. Supreme Court that puts the Constitution first, stands up for our freedoms, including our most fundamental right — the right to vote. It’s time to restore trust in our judicial system and ensure it serves the people, and not just the powerful few. I’m proud of my service and the sacrifices made by my fellow veterans. But the fight for our democracy isn’t over. Just as we once served our country in uniform, we must now stand up and engage in the fight to fix the U.S Supreme Court.
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