The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
» Faith leaders in Atlanta organize boycott to press corporations to oppose restrictions,
Goal is for Coke, Delta, Home Depot to oppose restrictions strongly.
AME Bishop Reginald T. Jackson and other faith and community leaders announced a national boycott of Georgia-based corporations Coca-cola, Delta and Home Depot over the enactment of the state’s new voting law.
The boycott is not expected to take effect until April 7.
The measure, which Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law late last month, harkens back to the days of Jim Crow racism, said Jackson, presiding prelate of the African Methodist Episcopal Church’s 6th District of Georgia.
The group stood Thursday in front of the World of Coca-cola, one of the state’s most popular tourist attractions and a showpiece for the Atlanta-based beverage maker. Other companies could be added to the boycott later, they said.
The boycott is not something they want to do, but have to do, Jackson said during a press conference that included interfaith leaders, elected officials, civil rights groups and labor union representatives. “We cannot and will not support the companies that do not support us in our struggle to cast our ballots and exercise our freedom,” he declared.
Jackson said he still hoped to meet virtually or have conversations with the CEOS of Delta Air Lines, Coke and Home Depot. He said he spoke with James Quincey, Coca-cola’s chief executive, by Zoom on Wednesday and they plan to talk more next week.
Voting rights advocates criticized business leaders for being silent or not speaking forcefully enough against the legislation.
The top executives at Delta and Coke this week issued stronger statements about the new election law, calling it “unacceptable.” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a note to employees that the law was “based on a lie” of widespread voter fraud in last November’s election. Quincey also called the law “unacceptable” and “wrong.”
Officials found no evidence of widespread election fraud, a notion that former President Donald Trump and his supporters have falsely and aggressively pushed.
The AME’S 6th District is a plaintiff in one of three lawsuits challenging the Republican-backed law. There has been a call to move the Major League Baseball Allstar Game out of Cobb County due to the new law, a move President Joe Biden said he supports.
The faith community, Black churches in particular, played a big role in get-out-the-vote efforts along with voter rights organizations. Some churches provided transportation to the polls and provided water and snacks to those waiting in line.
The new law would restrict volunteers from passing out water or food to voters in line, along with imposing new voter ID requirements and limiting drop boxes, among other restrictions.
“We don’t want to have to fight, but the fight is in us,” said the Rev. Lee May, former Dekalb County CEO, citing the record turnout for November’s election. “We don’t want to have to fight, but the fight is not for us, it’s for the people.”
Jackson said companies can avoid the April 7 boycott by taking several steps, including publicly stating their opposition to the Georgia voting legislation, Senate Bill 202, and calling for legislatures in other states to rescind their actions in introducing elections bills Jackson said would greatly restrict voting. Corporate leaders should strongly state their opposition to similar legislation in other states and withhold financial support to candidates and parties that vote for and support such legislation, Jackson said.
In a USA Today opinion piece, Georgia Democrat and voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, the founder of Fair Fight, wrote that companies have to be on the right side of history on voting issues.
She said history has proven economic boycotts work and people have the right to boycott.
She acknowledged, though, that they can be “complicated affairs that require a long-term commitment to action.” Abrams wrote this week: “I have no doubt that voters of color, particularly Black voters, are willing to endure the hardships of boycotts. But I don’t think that’s necessary — yet.”
Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms also cautioned against calls to boycott the Atlanta-based companies.
“I am deeply concerned about the boycott and potentially the unintended consequences that it could have on everyday working people,” Bottoms said Thursday afternoon. “At the end of the day, when you boycott these companies, you’re boycotting jobs for our community. Delta is one of our largest employers in the state, and many of those people live right here in Atlanta.”