PHOENIX (AP). Civil rights leaders, such as the Revs. Jesse Jackson, William Barber were among the 39 people who were arrested Monday for refusing to leave Phoenix office of Democratic U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema. She has been under relentless pressure from liberal activists to end the filibuster that allows voting rights legislation to be passed.Jackson, one the most prominent civil rights leaders in the country, stated that the U.S. was facing a civilization crisis and had drawn battle lines. He urged activists to continue fighting for their rights nonviolently.Jackson stated that the powers are in you, not the people.For both congressional Democrats and progressive activists it is a top priority to pass voting rights legislation. They say it's essential to oppose state-level attempts by Republicans to impose additional restrictions on voting. The filibuster has prevented Democrats from passing any legislation that does not require Republican support.Sinema is one of the moderate Democratic senators that has ruled out any changes to filibuster. She says it encourages bipartisan cooperation as well as more lasting legislative compromises.A crowd of hundreds marched for about one mile from a park to Sinemas office, in Phoenixs Biltmore neighbourhood, chanting "End the filibuster now".For 25 years, I have taught children that this is how you need to change things. Barry Smith, a Phoenix-based retired schoolteacher, was in tears as he stood outside Sinemas office, ready to be arrested. It was supposed to be democracy. So it is so frustrating that the Senate is run by a minority.Barber, cochairman of the Poor Peoples Campaign said that Sinemas opposition for changing the filibuster was threatening not only voting rights legislation, but also minimum wage, immigration, and climate measures.Continue the storyPhoenix police Sgt. Mercedes Fortune stated.Sinema is supportive of the voting rights legislation. However, critics claim her support is hollow if it stands in the way procedural changes that would allow it to be passed. Although Sinema has teamed up with Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah to pass legislation to increase the minimum wage, any proposal they create is unlikely to reach the $15 desired by many in labor movements.She wrote that the filibuster encourages moderation and protects the country against wild swings between policy poles.
