Who Are We?
Misogyny rules the day in several states: Roe v. Wade is being challenged as never before. Women's rights are being assaulted in an unprecedented scale in several states. Don't be fooled to thinking this is a simple issue of a women's right to choose. It is far more than that. It is no less than an assault on a women's rights. end of sentence. This is an assault on the right of women to have a say in her home, at work and in our government.
Racism. A Poll tax in any other name is still a poll tax. The CRA has been all but de-fanged. State governments, mainly in the South, are working overtime to reshape Congressional districts as fast as they can. The deck is stacked. The odds are in the house's favor. The Immigration laws are decidedly not in a person of color's favor. The United States government wants to create the longest and most heavily armed peace-time boarder in the world between U.S. and Mexico. Why the heavy focus on Mexico and not with Canada? Something to ponder there. Odd since we have had actual, real terrorist come into the U.S. from Canada and try to attack us (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmed_Ressam) . In the simplest of terms, people of color are in a great deal of trouble in the United States and facing the greatest threat to their freedoms and voice in decades.
Democracy. Our Republic is strongest when we take different opinions, talk through them and come to a decision that moves us forward in the best interest of everyone. That is the formula for a great country. There are some that see it differently. The election of Reagan was the ringing of the gong for right-wing extremist. That gong has reverberated through the decades and continues to echo from sea to shining sea. Individual right-wing extremist have come and gone but the almost endless stream of right wing and religious zealots is slowly breaking down our republic and slowly but surely dragging it to its knees. Though seemingly in the minority in our country, they are a loud and relentless minority that seeks no compromise with its ideals and gives none. They dovetail nicely with another power holder in our country that traces its heritage to our country's founding, corporations. Corporate elites weld power over our government with a terrible fury behind it. From the founding of Jamestown to today, large corporations have been calling the shots, either overtly or from behind the scenes. Our country's first real colony, Jamestown, was not people looking for a new place to live, it was corporate venture, nothing more, nothing less. As a colony it would have succeeded if only built just a couple of miles from its proposed location (other locations had easier access to building materials, game and fresh water) but was built where it was out of corporate greed for potential profits of their chosen location (no easy access to building materials, game or fresh water but easy sea port access for cheap loading of goods). Misery and death were to follow. An argument can be made that large corporations now weld more influence over our local, state and federal governments than at any other point in U.S. history. Corporations don't care about power, in and of itself, they care about money. Having people in power is a helpful means to that end. Right-wing extremist and religious zealots don't care about money, in and of itself, they care about power. Having money fill their coffers is a helpful means to that end. Each is willing to give the other as much as they want.
So, what does a Democrat do? What does the progressive do? What does the middle-of-road, middle class person do? What does a poor, elderly, person of color living in the deep south do? The deck is stacked. the odds are in the house's favor. The game is rigged. Should we collectively all roll in a ball in the corner and suck our thumbs and wait for doomsday to overtake us and embrace sweet oblivion? They sure hope you do.
Want to know a secret? Want to know how to win? Don't do what they want. Do you think we are losing in Texas right now? Do you think we are losing in North Carolina right now? Do you think we lost in Sanford, FL? Is that what you think? Democracy is not easy. Sometimes you loss the battle to win the war. The land of the free and the home of the brave require just that, the free and the brave. Justice won't come to you, you have to come to it. You can't take justice. You have to want justice. Our republic requires people that are willing to stand for 13 hours without a break or food or water to stop something they are against. It requires people willing to stand for hours in a line to have their say, even just two minutes of it, at a state government committee hearing. Today thousands more people than yesterday, have learned a valuable lesson, mid-term elections matter. State government elections matter. County government elections matter. City elections matter. School board elections matter. Being an informed and active citizen matters. If you truly want to stand against misogyny. If you truly want to stand against racism. If truly stand with our Republic. Than do just that. Be an active citizen. Be informed. Vote in EVERY ELECTION. Make your voice heard on EVERY issue that matters to you. Stand up for those that cannot. Stand.
