‘Don’t take democracy for granted’: Civil rights attorney warns

SAN ANTONIO – Protecting voting rights isn’t what it used to be in the 60?s and 70?s, said longtime civil rights attorney Rolando Rios.

Back then, Rios said the movement was more grassroots, much of it on college campuses, like St. Mary’s University that saw the rise of a movement begun by his friend the late Willie Velasquez and others who formed the Mexican-American Youth Organization or MAYO.

“It is a different society, totally different because of the technology,” Rios said.

He said the internet and social media are permeated with misinformation questioning the integrity of elections which have led to voting restrictions .

Rios said it’s up each voter to seek out the truth, “to listen to what’s going on, pay attention and make sure you make intelligent votes.”

“If you’re not engaged and know what’s going on you could lose. You could lose your democracy,” Rios said.

Rios said he warns Latinos who say their voting rights are secure because for many of them, times have changed for the better, they’re educated, have higher paying jobs, live in nicer neighborhoods, and have children in college.

“You cannot take things for granted,” Rios said. “It is a precarious democracy. It’s a precarious system based on political activism.”

He said the simple truth is, “You take something for granted and before you know it, you lose it.”