Many of us are angry. Many of us are sad. Some of us are in still a period of mourning. I would wager a good majority of us are still in wonder and amazement at what might transpire in the coming years. I'm not going to bore you with the apocalyptic or the mind reading of what might come. I'm not going to elevate this discourse to the level we've seen in the last two years. Honestly the words, audio, video, speak for themselves and I would wager a good majority of people who did not participate in the political process of voting are likely just as shocked as those of us on the partisan side.
It's time to set the shock, horror, etc.. aside and get to work. I know what you are immediately thinking though after reading that statement. "What am I supposed to go out and protest?"...sure if can "What am I supposed to donate to a group?" ...sure if can "What should I volunteer for a candidate I think is better?" ...sure if can "What should I run for an office myself?" ...sure if you can The point is, the time is NOW. If every, and I emphasize EVERY American who is scared right now stood up and picked any of the options above, quite literally everyone with any of the above. We can make the change, we can correct course, we can prove to the rest of the world that we still are the shining city on the hill. We can show us as the place that accepts, includes, lifts up, comforts, defends, and encourages individual liberty at the same time.
One thing that seems to have been lost is this idea of government, what it is and who it is. Here's the thing. Government is you. Yes you sitting there on your phone playing whatever quirk game of the month, you sitting there watching Walking Dead, even you sitting there watching Fox News. We are the government at ALL levels from town, city, county, state, to federal. This identity goes all the way from the front of your stoop, porch, driveway, dirt road, etc.. it goes all the way from there to the front door of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500.
Remember, they do not call it the People's House casually.
To that point I would propose that we adopt a simple phrase. A phrase that applies at all levels. A phrase that would perhaps emboldens those who feel marginalized, sidelined, cast away from the gears, machines, and pump that make up the government of us at all levels.
Take it back.
Put it simply, take it back. Take it back at all levels. Use whatever resources you have whether it is time, networking, money, skills, heck being clever. Focus on the issues that affect you most closely, and just Take.It.Back.
Problems on your school boards? Find someone who agrees with you to run for them, or run yourself. Get out and talk to your neighbors about how things affect your kids and every kid in the district. Get out and make a change, make connections and make a change.
Problems in your city, have a common council or alderman that isn't doing what you need done for your area. Take it back. Find someone who represents you, or run yourself. Get out and make connections. Take to the streets if you must, but remember the goal. Take it back.
This idea runs up through all the levels of government because like I said because government is... Us. And ultimately throughout history we as a nation have proven time and time again, even with some bruises and black eyes, that the majority of us care about each other. We care for our neighbors, we look out for each other when possible, and we all try to raise each other to another level. Even when we disagreed about the absolute solution, we ultimately came to a consensus on something to try to fix whatever issue faced us.
The point is, we need to engage our neighbors to care. We need to reach out and engage to them, bring them into the political process. However, we do not need them to be brought into the partisan way. What this means is, we do not need to be knocking on their doors and asking if they will vote for Partisan X during Y cycle. We need to address the issues locally. Only 55% of the electorate participated in this last cycle. Can you imagine what difference might have been had we addressed things at a more local level, and the other 45 came out?
You know, walked across the street and talked to neighbor Mary Sue about how the school board is screwing over our kids. Maybe perhaps caught Bob at the supermarket and had a polite conversation about how state rep so and so voted this way and that way and it's going to possibly harm the health of both your teenage daughters.
You both might agree that the school board needs reform, the state rep needs kicked to the curb, but then you can agree to disagree about who might live in the Peoples House. Then, the both of you walk away knowing that you can grill out with each other later that week, or that Mary will look after your kids when the sitter is sick and that Bob will come on over and snow blow your driveway just for the heck of it.
Yes, for my partisans out there, I agree there are voter suppression tactics en force. But seriously, other than knocking on a door and asking if you will vote for candidate Z, did you explore the methodology of how they would get to the polls. Did you seriously ask that person the more pertinent question of “Hi did you plan on voting this year, and if not why?”
We are all in this experimental boat of democracy together, let's start acting like it. Let us get everyone on the boat involved before we get ourselves another Captain Blythe