When we think about people protecting our rights, we rightly often think about the men and women in uniform. In fact, we tend to assume our service members have a monopoly on this type of sacrifice.

We do so at great peril to our national soul.

That’s because the people who sacrificed for our rights didn’t always wear uniforms.

Consider:

One man, a former insurance salesman turned community activist and father of three, was gunned down in his driveway in 1963. He’d spent years organizing voter registration drives, boycotts and more. His agitation meant he regularly had a police escort.

One woman, a mother of five, drove from Detroit to Selma, Alabama, to support civil rights marchers. While driving fellow activists to the airport, she was murdered by the KKK.

There are hundreds of stories like theirs.

On Election Day, you owe them – as well as anyone who ever suited up for military service – your vote.