Democracy Alarm (7/18/21)
Since January, multiple states have passed laws restricting the right to vote, and over 400 more voter suppression bills are moving through state houses. We have been reading, talking, and fretting about these bills for months, but something changed this week and it seems that Democrats may finally be sounding the alarm on the danger these laws pose to the most fundamental right of our democracy, the right to vote. We heard President Biden in an impassioned speech say that “there is an unfolding assault taking place in America today -- an attempt to suppress and subvert the right to vote in fair and free elections, an assault on democracy, an assault on liberty, an assault on who we are -- who we are as Americans. For, make no mistake, bullies and merchants of fear and peddlers of lies are threatening the very foundation of our country.”
Additionally, we saw over 50 Democratic state legislators make the courageous and difficult decision to leave their homes and families and flee the state to prevent a quorum in the Texas House -- this was their only way to prevent the passage of voter suppression bills in Texas.
While the assault on our democracy is taking place in state capitols across the country, until recently, it seemed like it was "business as usual" in Washington, DC. But with the arrival of the Texas State Legislators in the nation's capitol, things may be changing. Yesterday, the head of the Congressional Black Caucus, Representative Joyce Beatty, was one of several people to get arrested for civil disobedience in the Capitol complex. Upon her arrest, Beatty stated: "I stand in solidarity with the Black women and allies across the country in defense of our constitutional right to vote. We have come too far and fought too hard to see everything systematically dismantled and restricted by those who wish to silence us. Be assured that this is just the beginning." Now, the Texas legislators have taken their message directly to Washington. They are sounding the alarm that we need comprehensive federal legislation. They are also showing us why we must protect the slim blue majority in a state like Virginia that has passed its own voter protection laws.
Whether you are new to Markers or a long-time member, you know that we are a community that is actively engaged in the work to help save American democracy. You also know that back in 2019, when we launched our first giving circle to help flip Virginia's House blue, our eyes were opened to the importance of state legislatures: that states are where gerrymandering and voter suppression begins, and where issues like healthcare, civil rights, environmental legislation, and education funding are decided. What happens at the state level is what affects people’s every day lives. The alarms from this week are a call to action to all Americans who care about our democracy. They are a confirmation that the work we are doing writing postcards to turn out the vote for down ballot races, text banking and phone banking, or working to enlarge our giving circle membership, matters. It is a call to action to continue our efforts, but also to engage our friends and families in this work too. Time is of the essence, democracy is on the line, and it is going to take all of us to keep our democracy from teetering over the edge. In the posthumous words of the late John Lewis “Democracy is not a state. It is an act”.
There might be a time to take to the streets soon, but in the meantime inspire people to take notice. Invite friends, family, and colleagues to attend our August 2nd giving circle evening event. The details are below in the "state legislatures matter" section. We are lucky enough to have the best-selling author Jean Hanff Korelitz joining us, but also it is an opportunity to hear a few minutes from Josh Cole, a rock-star Virginia delegate who will tell us firsthand about the importance of the giving circle work and how it changed so many lives for the better in Virginia, and Melissa Walker, the Director of Giving Circles at Future Now Fund. Bring your friends to hear the story. That can be your “act”. You can perform another "act" this Monday night by joining our friends at Future Now Fund and The Next 50 at a special event with Texas lawmakers, "Under Attack: Your Right To Vote & What's At Stake in The States." See below in the "State Legislatures Matter" section for a link to register.
*T-shirt by Resistance By Design