Morgan Freeman explains what’s on the line this election: 'Our lives depend on it'

In a new ad for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), actor Morgan Freeman lays out everything that's at stake in the 2020 presidential election. Using his powerful voice to remind the American public of everything that hangs on the outcome of this election, the 83-year-old warns that "our lives quite literally depend on" voters fulfilling their civic responsibility. In the one minute and 15-second-long video, Freeman speaks about the pandemic and the anti-racist movements that gripped the nation this year while reminding them of the Black community's long and arduous fight for voting rights.

"I know that many of you are wondering how soon you'll be able to hug your friends again or visit your parents and grandparents without fear. I know that many of you are angered by the ongoing racism in our nation and worried about having a job to repay your student loans and afford the basic needs of life. It wasn't long ago that people were beaten and even killed to obtain the sacred power each of you has today, the power to vote," he says in the video. "And right now, your vote is more critical than ever."

"This election is about you and me, your family and my family, our planet, and our democracy in its entirety," Freeman continues. "With our votes, we, the people, can begin to overwhelm the unjust political and economic systems that favor profits over people and elect leaders who will take us forward. Brothers and sisters, go vote. Our lives quite literally depend on it." The ad premiered on Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show on Friday where she revealed that she'd been eager to make time for the video when contacted by the organization.

"I have one more thing to show you. This is a totally non-partisan thing. It's not about either candidate," Maddow assures. "We got a call from the NAACP today, telling us that they'd just finished this and they are planning on releasing it for just these last few days of the election, and would we please like to show it to the country for the first time. My answer was 'yes, please.' It's really good. This is a stressful time, I know. But it is an inspiring time too. Which is why this is exactly what I needed to see today."

Derrick Johnson, activist and current president of the NAACP, thanked Maddow on Twitter for providing a platform to share their message to the public. "Thank you, Maddow. The NAACP is dedicated to encouraging, uplifting, and supporting the black community as we display our power at the polls," he tweeted. Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. According to its website, with over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, the organization aims to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.