Equal Rights Abroad
Guarantee full voting rights and increased representation for all United States territories.
More than 4 million people live in the U.S. territories. More than 98 percent of them are racial or ethnic minorities. The decision of the Supreme Court in the Downes v. Bidwell in 1901 case resulted in U.S. constitution not having to apply in territories "inhabited by alien races, differing from us in religion, customs, laws, methods of taxation, and modes of thought, the administration of government and justice, according to Anglo-Saxon principles". Let's make no mistake, this was enacted to suppress and legalize federal racism. Pedro Pierluisi, Puerto Rico?s only non-voting representative in Congress, has long spoken against the differential treatment of Puerto Rico under U.S. law and it's about time we joined him. It is absolutely abhorrent that Puerto Rico has more American citizens than 21 U.S. states and less voting rights than any of them. It?s a shame that U.S. Air Force and Navy bases comprise over a quarter of the island of Guam?s land mass and yet has only a single highly restricted delegate. This should not be happening in the 21st century and it definitely shouldn't be happening in America. Seeing as our federal government affects these territories we owe them their full unalienable rights as citizens of the United States of America. Around 1 in 8 citizens from Guam are military veterans, which is among the higher rates in U.S. land. All territory citizens serve us full heatedly and faithfully so their's no just reason their voices should not be heard. Please join me in fighting to guarantee full voting rights and increased representation for all United States territories.
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