I know that many of you are feeling a mix of fear, rage, and worry about the results of the presidential election and what's to come. Me too.
The United States’ founding is grounded in racism and despite generations of progress, that racism is embedded in our country’s conscience and systems. Our country has stumbled – maybe fallen, again, and we do not underestimate the very real threats to our richly diverse communities in Michigan, especially the realization of the campaign rhetoric directed toward Black women and men, Arab and Muslim people, immigrants and trans people.
Through our grief and anger, however, let’s not forget what the people of Michigan are capable of when we work and build together. We made Michigan a model by protecting reproductive rights when the U.S. Supreme Court failed us. Since then, Ohio, Missouri, Arizona, Montana, Maryland and Colorado all enshrined or strengthened abortion protections in their state constitutions, and Nevada surmounted its first major hurdle to achieve the same. Together, we ushered in a state legislature that added explicit LGBTQ protections to our state civil rights law. We expanded voting rights in Michigan by organizing together to pass two separate ballot initiatives. Just this week, voters in Michigan expanded the pro-civil rights majority on our state supreme court.
Trump’s first-term record of violating our constitutional rights is proof of what he is capable of. However, this time, the ACLU has its own playbook and months of planning beneath its belt, and we pledge to fight back with all that we have.
As President-elect Trump attempts to implement draconian policies, we will build a pro-civil rights firewall to protect those at risk of harm by the federal government. We will fight back against any attempts to ban abortion and ensure that Michigan remains a safe haven of reproductive freedom. We will pursue protections for the families, friends, coworkers and neighbors that make up our state’s immigrant communities against mass deportation and unjust detention. We will protect LGBTQ+ people, and ensure trans children feel supported, and know that they belong. We will challenge authoritarian targeting of protestors, organizers, journalists and dissenters.
The ACLU has a 104-year history spanning 19 presidential administrations of fighting for civil rights and civil liberties for all people. We, along with many partners, have worked vigilantly to protect and expand the civil liberties of the people of Michigan since Trump was first elected in 2016. None of that work, nor any of the massive victories in the last several years, were accomplished alone. And continuing to build collective power and action will be the key to meeting what’s ahead. In this heavy, hard moment, we look to the advocates, organizers and activists – our partners – those who have preceded us, those who work alongside us and those who will follow us. We will not fail you.
We are ready to bring all we have to bear with our legal and political experts, field organizers, and public education strategists to ensure that democracy prevails for every person in the state of Michigan.
Loren Khogali
Executive Director
ACLU of Michigan