A Call to Action
For the past three months, I have written articles that are meant to show the depth of the three primary wrongs that the United States is guilty of — Native American genocide, chattel slavery, and white male landowner privilege. I hope those of you have read my words see the parallels between what is happening on our borders to immigrants and asylum-seekers with what was done to Native American and African peoples. But I didn’t write those descriptions to fuel your anger; I wrote them to help you to fully understand what it is that we must forgive in order to move forward together as one people.
I hope you all see, looking at the state of our neighborhoods, our schools, our cities, our state, our country and our world that we must move forward together. I hope today you realize — or resolve, if you already realize, or begin to act, if you have already resolved — or join with me (or invite me to join with you) in coordinated action if you already do act. Wherever you are now in your process, I am asking you to take one step forward.
I am invoking the names of our greatest heroes of nonviolent resistance — Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Cesar Chavez, and Nelson Mandela — in the hope and expectation that you will see the necessity of joining together and insisting on a society that takes care of its people. Affordable quality health care, adequately funded education, safe and abundant food, water, and shelter — for everyone — are the fruits of standing for the principles of community.
If we unite in favor of these and other public goods, we must resist nonviolently, and we must decide to forgive each other for the slights that threaten to divide us. If black and white South Africans could forgive murders committed by the other side, we can forgive a Democrat for preferring Bernie or Hillary; we can even forgive those who have refused to speak with us, refused to work with us, or committed what appear to be racist, sexist, or homophobic, aggressions — micro or macro. What do you need to hear from someone who has wronged you before you can forgive and move forward together? What will it take for you to understand that forgiving someone is not for them, it is for the person feeling the anger or grief — YOU!
If we have an enemy, it is an unfeeling and cruel system, not the people who populate it. If you know that truth in your hearts, you certainly won’t oppose people for supporting or opposing a tax, a homeless policy, rent control, etc. The most important tool being used against us is emotional manipulation; the manipulators are good enough to succeed if we don’t realize that they are manipulating us — but when we understand that the anxiety created by Russian trolls who organize both sides of a violent rally is a weapon deployed against us, we can spread love to counteract that hate. So, what should we do?
For those who are willing and able, the most important thing Democrats can do is to participate in the Neighborhood Leader Program. Talking to our neighbors is how we engage them, discuss possible laws and policies, and find more activists. In an era of dark money and strategic lies by corporate interest groups, conversations with trusted neighbors is the best way to neutralize money.
For some of you, becoming a Precinct Committee Person, one of those who propose, vote on, and implement Democratic Party bylaws, business items, and other party initiatives, is one of the most important things you can do.
For some of you, working on one of MultDems Standing Committees, work or study groups, or taking a role in party leadership is a possible choice to support us.
Others just want to show up as support — at protests, hearings, or just helping with the logistics of everything from house parties for candidates to snacks at meetings.
What is YOURS to Do?
Do you see the collapse of our society as being near enough to today to get you to live differently yet? Pay attention. I expect that day will arrive before we know it, and I expect that the sooner we mobilize, the less damage the catastrophe will do.
