On Friday, Greenpeace released a video calling on AT&T to stop funding extremist politicians who sponsor racist voter suppression bills which played on a digital billboard in Washington DC’s iconic 7th & H street intersection in the Chinatown-Gallery Place neighborhood–right above DC’s flagship AT&T store.
The animation is part of a larger campaign exposing corporations funding extremist politicians trying to pass voter suppression legislation. According to Greenpeace analysis, AT&T is one of the top contributor to state legislators sponsoring racist voter suppression bills.
While the video was supposed to run for 10 consecutive days, it was removed without notice, over the weekend after running just 2 days.
In response Folabi Olagabju, Greenpeace USA Democracy Campaign Director said:
“Our video being taken down feels like corporate censorship of speech and a deliberate attempt to strip the public of their right to be informed which is a basic tenet of a functioning democracy. Especially this week: Texas Governor Abbott just signed SB1, one of the country’s most draconian voter suppression bills, into law. SB1 makes it more difficult for people to vote in Texas by setting new ID requirements for voting by mail and dangerously, creating criminal penalties for those who assist voters, for example by handing out water to people waiting in long lines. The legislative process has been marred with outrage and controversy for months. AT&T, however, contributed $250,000 to Gov Abbot’s PAC the same day he called a special session to pass this bill. This much is clear: AT&T is funding racist voter suppression bills despite its claim to stand for equality.”
“This video seems to have struck a nerve with some important corporate bigwigs, but this crude attempt to silence dissent won’t work. The reality is that more and more people are aware that AT&T is outspending its peers when it comes to funding extremist lawmakers introducing dangerous bills harming our freedom to vote.”
“Corporations have a moral responsibility and a key role to play in upholding democratic practices and policies. Unfortunately, AT&T doesn’t seem to see this as a good business practice.”
[ENDS]
Notes:
To watch the AT&T video somebody doesn’t want you to see, click here.
Images here.
Contact: Valentina Stackl, Greenpeace USA Senior Communications Specialist, [email protected], (734) 276 6260
