The author of "What the Black Man Wants" supports the perspective that denying black people the right to vote goes against American values through the following statements:
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"Mingling with the mass I should partake of the strength of the mass; I should be supported by the mass…" - This emphasizes the importance of being a part of the collective society and having a voice within it.
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"If you see him going to the ballot-box, let him alone, don't disturb him." - This suggests that individuals should be allowed to exercise their rights without interference, highlighting the importance of the voting process.
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"…but here where universal suffrage is the rule, where that is the fundamental idea of the Government, to rule us out is to make us an exception..." - This directly points to the contradiction of American democratic principles by asserting that everyone should have the right to vote and that excluding any group is fundamentally un-American.
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"Ours is a peculiar government, based upon a peculiar idea, and that idea is universal suffrage." - This reinforces the notion that the foundational aspect of the government is the right to vote for all, underscoring the importance of universal suffrage as an American value.
All of the provided excerpts support the author's perspective regarding voting rights for black individuals in relation to American values.
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