Working Together to Help Save Democracy (5/22/22)

The past couple of weeks have been difficult in this country where the Supreme Court and Republicans from state legislatures to Congress want to outlaw a woman's access to reproductive healthcare, but an 18-year-old, brainwashed by the rhetoric of racist "replacement theory" that is spewed nightly on Fox News and amplified by Republican politicians, is able to purchase a lethal arsenal and murder members of the Buffalo, NY community at a supermarket. If we want sane laws that protect women's right to reproductive healthcare and protect all citizens' right not to be gunned down at their supermarkets, churches, synagogues, mosques, movie theaters, high schools, we all need to engage. Turning out the vote in November is imperative if we want positive change.

There were glimmers of hope this week in some of the primary election states. There were pockets where turnout was high and there was enthusiasm for candidates. We need to make that happen countrywide in November. Additionally, Long Island's school board elections on Tuesday marked widespread victories for candidates endorsed by local teacher unions, and numerous losses for those groups that backed candidates critical of the ways race, gender, and history are taught.

As Robert Hubbell always reminds us, we have every reason to be hopeful. We could lose, but we have no reason to assume we will. Bad news sells! We can’t allow that narrative to take over the Democratic party as it will depress turnout. We need to fight to win every single office up and down the ballot and we can’t do it if we don’t show up. Remember Markers For Democracy did not exist prior to the 2016 election and there is a large cadre of activist groups like ours across the country that also have post-2016 inceptions. Together we make a patchwork of activism and engagement working hard to make a difference. Do not grant Republicans powers they do not have. Let’s be tough enough to take some losses and continue to fight.

We urge everyone to get involved now. You can join us and write postcards with us. We meet 4 mornings a week on Zoom and they are all drop-in sessions so you can join late, and leave early. We have guests who visit us during our postcarding sessions so you can listen while you write or just listen. If you don't like Zooms, keep your camera off and just write postcards and listen to us talk about politics and/or our guests. There is also text banking, phone banking, canvassing, and voter registration drives. We can help you and your friends become engaged. We can also hook you up with postcards and Sharpies so you can start writing.

There is no time like the present. We have work to do. Join us!