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An urgent call for action
If you feel a sense of comfort and relief after the defeat of Trump, the election of Joe Biden, and the razor-thin majority that Democrats now possess in the Senate, that is totally understandable. I know this has been a rough 4+ years for all of us (all things considered), but these newly-realized feelings may may soon be viewed in the rear mirror as consequential complacency, unless we fully understand — and act — on the potential danger we face due to Republican-led efforts that are undermining the fabric of our democracy. The last part sounds like something we read in school, in our American History books or about the political/governmental transformations of OTHER countries, past and present. But, the United States of America? WTF?
Unfortunately, this danger is not because of how policy is applied, by one ruling political party or another. The proliferation of absurd election audits/recounts — in support of the big lie — may have been funny at some point, but when considered with the several voter suppression bills being introduced — and passed — by MANY Republican-led local and state legislatures, the outlook is ominous. These are coordinated attempts at securing a long-term power grab in the upcoming elections — and they are defined and potentially realized as racist and fascist. The practice of gerrymandering voting districts is part and parcel of these Republican maneuvers. If they are successful, the majority of the nation will suffer and marginalized populations will continue to suffer the most. The people behind it all: power-hungry, truth deniers.
What can you/we do?
- If you live in a “Red” state where Republicans control the state and/or county legislatures, pick up the phone — or write a series of emails — and tell these elected officials how dangerous you feel the efforts described above really are, and how unhappy you are with their leadership. Remember, many of them a truly power-hungry individuals — perhaps, also motivated by other unsavory, cultural beliefs and ideology. An expressed disappointment from their electorate may eventually nip it in the bud, or at least mitigate their motivations. Obviously, this will require the collective action of many people, but for the individual, not much is required. Do your part and encourage others in your situation to do the same.
- If you live in a state where Blue reigns, let's have a conversation with our officials about why the 2 or 3 voting rights bills are difficult to pass. According to many reports, these bills are very broad and have provisions that go beyond voter protections (in nature) and said to be impediments to what is most important to the democracy, at this given time. Educate yourself about these bills. Then, call/write your Democratic leaders. Ask them to reconsider refocusing these bills so that there is a greater chance that some of the sane Republicans MAY peel off and vote for one them.
To be clear, the “aggression” spelled out/called for in this shirt design DOES NOT denote, condone violent behavior. It is simply a call to act, to perform a civic duty. Spread the word.