Here is what I want to say before the U.S. 2018 midterm elections tomorrow: yes, this election is important. As interim elections go, it is arguably more important than most in recent history. But regardless of the outcome, we who believe in human rights and the inherent dignity of all people can, should, and must continue to fight for those invaluable principles.
The Trump Administration and the Republican Party have demonstrated an extraordinary disdain for truth, justice, inclusion, and basic human decency. It is our moral imperative to fight for these principles up to, on, and beyond Tuesday. As Dr. Martin Luther King declared, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but bends toward justice.” I believe this is true, but we must actively do the bending. The U.S. election of 2016 revealed that xenophobia, fear, and racist mythologizing are still more powerful in our country than many of us hoped. But it also revealed that structural mechanisms, election tampering, and other factors in our imperfect democracy that can thwart the popular will (as you will recall, Trump lost the popular vote despite his electoral college victory). Those mechanisms are still at work.
We may be able to defeat these obstacles through massive turnout in the
short-term. In the long-term, however, what is most important is a
continuous and unrelenting commitment to a vision of a just, fair, and
inclusive society where people are free from persecution because of
their race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, country
of origin, etc.; where people are committed to leaving behind a better
and more sustainable world for their children; where basic factual
truths matter and inform policy rather than serve as objects of denial,
derision, and ridicule; where compassion and empathy are held in great
esteem rather than regarded with dismissiveness and contempt. This is
the kind of future I want for my child and for which I will fight in
whatever small capacity I can. I know I’m only a drop in the bucket.
Taken in the singular, we all are, I suppose. But add together many
drops and suddenly there’s a full bucket. I hope you will join me.
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This post represents the opinion of the author in his personal capacity and should not be construed as the official position of any agency, organization, or contractor by which the author is presently or has been previously employed.
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This post represents the opinion of the author in his personal capacity and should not be construed as the official position of any agency, organization, or contractor by which the author is presently or has been previously employed.
