MLK III warns of ‘Jim Crow’ echoes in redistricting fight

[0:03] I'm Andrew Dimbert in New York right now on ABC News Live reports fallout from the Supreme Court's [0:08] decision to gut a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. Just this week, the Supreme Court did [0:13] away with the typical 32-day waiting period to certify its ruling, clearing the way for Louisiana [0:19] and other southern states to redraw their redistricting maps. Martin Luther King III sent [0:24] a letter to Republican leaders in Tennessee pushing for them not to redistrict, writing, [0:29] quote, this decision undermines the work that my father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. carried out [0:34] to help secure passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Martin Luther King III joins us now. So in [0:42] that letter, you wrote, do not take this nation back to the days of Jim Crow. Is that where we're headed? [0:46] And what would your father say about this moment? Well, I think absolutely that's where it appears [0:53] that we're headed, the way that this has been done. And the fact of my dad talked about, first of all, [1:00] in 1957, give us the ballot, and we will have the opportunity to engage in democracy. That was in [1:07] 1957, before 1963, when he delivered his I Have a Dream speech. He told us about the importance. The [1:14] fact that this country has chosen a position to move backward instead of moving us forward is [1:21] unconscionable. We're at a terrible time and greatly disappointing. And so the people must come [1:27] together, stand up. We're going to always continue to fight. But we should be fighting for something [1:32] different than the right to vote. So Tennessee's House Speaker released the proposed congressional [1:39] map this morning that would split Memphis into three districts and Nashville into five. [1:43] What's so unique about the city of Memphis and representation there? [1:47] Well, the fact is the majority of the population of Memphis is largely Democratic. So if you divide a [1:55] district in that way, I mean, this is just crystal clearly wrong. It's wrong whenever it's done. And [2:03] it's not fair to the representatives of that particular city. They have no legitimate voice. [2:10] That is the real issue. [2:13] Could any of these redrawn maps, you think, backfire on Republicans or even Democrats? [2:17] Well, there's always the prospect that something like that could happen. There's no way for us to [2:23] know that. None of us have a crystal ball. But why would you even disenfranchise anybody? The fact of [2:29] the matter is an election has already gone on in place. And you've called off the election and [2:35] disenfranchised those who may have already voted. And that's certainly here and there in Tennessee. [2:41] That's in the state of Louisiana, where the election had already started place. And that could be in [2:47] other communities around this nation. Many of the southern states where a large part of African [2:52] American voters have moved back to the south. So being disenfranchised, not having an opportunity [2:58] to elect who they feel would represent them. How does redistricting sort of raise the stakes [3:05] for statehouse and governor races? So redistricting raises the stakes because [3:13] everybody, I mean, the Voting Rights Act made sure that things were protected, particularly Section 2 [3:21] and the entire act. Now there's nothing in place to protect whether or not people would be [3:29] disenfranchised because of their race, black or brown people. And really, it impacts all voters. [3:36] There's got to be a way to maybe even challenge the Supreme Court to do something different at some [3:43] point. Right now, they've made their decision for this particular moment. But something has got to [3:49] change. I would appeal to people in a conscious way, which is what we did in the letter, actually, [3:55] to appeal to your consciences. Do you want to take us back to a time? I mean, my dad talked about a [4:00] vision and a dream, and that dream just has not come to fruition yet. Elements of it have, but we're just [4:07] not there. So you don't just abolish it because you've made some progress. We've got to get all [4:15] the way there. And then maybe there's no need. But there's a dire, a direct need for a Voting Rights [4:22] Act or the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, I should say, bill should be passed. That's what we should [4:29] be doing. But obviously, that's not going to happen right now either. So at this point, what options do [4:34] opponents of these maps still have? I think, again, the voices of people. Again, to me, it's a moral [4:46] kind of voice that you're saying. If people stay engaged and continue to fight, as we did for many, [4:55] many years, and unfortunately, we're still fighting. I think you're seeing large demonstrations of folks [5:00] coming out in Tennessee. And when the election takes place, maybe the outcome will be different [5:07] than what was thought or what is expected. I don't even understand how you take a large group of people [5:14] and you divide it into three districts to minimize the impact of a voter. I mean, that's just unconscionable. [5:22] And most people of goodwill would see that and be able to recognize that and say, look, [5:27] this doesn't make any sense. I mean, it's all about a power grab. And that's not good for anyone. [5:34] All right. Martin Luther King III, thanks for joining us. [5:37] Thank you.