It’s our turn
Hello, friends.
College graduation season is almost over. On Saturday, the United States Military Academy’s commencement ceremony was held under a cloudless sky in West Point, NY for 1,036 graduating cadets and their families. Those seniors came from all 50 states, 12 countries, and every type of background. On their first day at West Point, they took the oath “I do solemnly swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same.”
In his commencement speech to them, President Biden reminded them of their oath and added words for all of us. “Freedom is not free. It requires constant vigilance… from the very beginning, nothing is guaranteed about our democracy in America. Every generation has an obligation to defend it, to protect it, to preserve it. Now, it’s your turn.”
We know that our democracy is at risk from the “domestic” type of enemies mentioned in the oath. What can we do?
Mecklenburg County has the most Democrats of all 100 counties in our state. In recent elections, too many of them simply did not vote. That has resulted in a Republican supermajority in the NC legislature that can override Gov. Cooper’s vetoes of extreme bills, maps gerrymandered to keep Republicans in power and a Republican majority on the Supreme Court that is allowing unfair maps to stand. What can we do?
I feel uplifted every time Kate Barr (candidate for NC Senate District 37) shares her vision to restore NC to “a representative democracy instead of this gerrymandered nonsense.” Here’s her plan.
- Nov 2024: Vote for Kate Barr. Elect Beth Helfrich. Elect Justice Allison Riggs.
- Nov 2028: Elect two more Democratic justices to the NC Supreme Court to bring the court back into balance.
- In 2030: After the census, the majority party in Raleigh will draw new maps. Even if Democrats are still in the minority, we will have a court that says partisan gerrymandering is not constitutional. Tada! Fair(er) maps!
The plan could work, but first we have to get more Mecklenburg County Democrats to vote this fall.
In his Memorial Day speech today, President Biden pledged that the country would continue the work of the nation’s fallen. “Freedom has never been guaranteed. Every generation has to earn it, fight for it, defend it in the battle between autocracy and democracy, between the greed of a few and the rights of many.” “On this day, we came together again to reflect, to remember, and above all, to recommit to the future they fought for, a future grounded in freedom, democracy, opportunity and equality. Not just for some, but for all.”
It’s our turn.
Besides voting,what will you do? The Dems of Davidson have opportunities for all schedules and personalities. Canvassing and making phone calls are the two most effective ways to get people to vote. (If you don’t want to actually talk with voters, there are ways you can support those who do.) We also need the use of a few garages as “staging locations.” We’ll explain, and we’ll teach you what you need to know.
Cambria Nielsen
Co-Coordinator, Dems of Davidson