If you only knew what the future holds. ~Katy Perry (Firework)
Just by chance, this week’s post landed on the Fourth of July. So my words will be short today, because no doubt you’ve got your own plans and don’t need to wade through my musings about the Fourth.
But I thought that maybe – like me – you get a little nostalgic this time of year.
As a kid growing up in ’80s suburbia, I relished the Fourth. Every year, the people in the cul-de-sac behind our house would set off fireworks. The big kind that your parents would never, ever, ever allow. (That they were dangerous just added to the allure.)
We weren’t allowed to go see them up close. But that was okay. We could see them perfectly from my sister’s bedroom.
With every kaboom and crackle our eyes would light up.
Oooh. Aaaah.
At that age fireworks seemed … magical.
And America – as a place and as a concept – seemed invincible.
This morning I was thinking back to those times – when we sat on the back patio with popsicle juice getting all over our bathing suits, waiting for the sky to get dark enough to play freeze tag or catch fireflies. In many ways it was a simpler time. Even the more complicated bits were easier to identify and talk about.
Our biggest enemy (at least as we perceived it then) flew a hammer and sickle flag, spoke a different language, and had a different economy. Their threat was palpable. You could point to it. You could watch movies about it. (Red Dawn, anyone?) Heck, as kids we were casually informed that nuclear holocaust was a distinct possibility.
Our deepest threat was existential … but also external. It was to be combatted with diplomatic and military might – deployed by professionals in D.C. with titles and degrees.
Now the biggest threat to our democracy comes from within. It is to be combatted with voting and advocacy – undertaken by regular people with heart and hope.
I miss the days when I could make small talk with folks at a fireworks stand and not wonder if they support a party that’s jubilant about dismantling democracy – so long as it fits their nationalist narrative.
I wish that the authoritarians who are trying to subvert the will of the people didn’t share America’s Birthday with me. I wish they didn’t wave the flag, or set off fireworks, or dress up in red, white, and blue.
But they do.
They wrap themselves in the pomp and circumstance of Independence Day – while trying to bend the rest of the country to their will. Theirs is an empty celebration.
Even so, no doubt that today we’ll be inundated with Republican flag memes and claims that as Democrats we are somehow anti-American and anti-freedom. The hypocrisy is tough to take.
But I hope you can rest assured that – no matter who is wearing the flag boxer shorts at the picnic – you are the one working every day to fulfill the promise of a free country for everyone.
You know, I have a feeling that tonight, somewhere in suburbia, two little girls will be watching backyard fireworks from a bedroom window. They’ll be excited about the magic. About our country. About their future.
So this year, as I no doubt encounter eleventy-billion reasons to sideline myself, I’m going to think about those little girls. Because regular people like you and me are on the front lines, working to make sure those little girls have a future that’s as bright and sparkly and magical as it should be.
After all, that’s the promise of America.
Okay, friend. Have a happy holiday.
Let’s get to work.
Actions for the Week of July 4, 2023
Postcards, Anyone?
There are a number of great postcarding campaigns going on right now – and with this being a holiday week, it’s a great time to dust off your markers and get to writing!
OHIO: In just a few weeks, Ohio will have a special election that will determine whether Ohioans can still pass a citizen-led constitutional amendment with a simple majority. Their heavily gerrymandered GOP legislature has pushed this special election to raise the threshold from a simple majority to 60% in try to stifle a popular reproductive justice amendment that will be on the November ballot. Postcards to Voters is writing to GOTV in Ohio. You can get addresses here: https://postcardstovoters.org/addresses/
AZ, NY, CA via Activate America:
Activate America is writing to infrequent voters in flippable congressional districts/states. From their website:
Arizona: Support Ruben Gallego for Senate
Democrat Ruben Gallego is a champion for reasonable gun safety and the only Democrat running for the Arizona Senate seat currently held by Kyrsten Sinema. We are writing to infrequent Democratic voters to raise name awareness for Gallego and highlight his work on this crucial issue.
New York: Gun Safety
We are focusing our gun safety postcard campaigns in New York on 3 Republican Congressmen who refuse to support common sense gun safety laws – including George Santos (NY-03) who wears a lapel pin featuring an assault rifle and has introduced a bill to declare a ‘national gun.’ His colleagues Marc Molinaro (NY-19) and Brandon Williams (NY-22), while less well known nationally, are equally out of step with voters in refusing to support any measures to prevent gun violence.
California
Gun Safety: We’re starting with three of our top priorities in California: the seats held by Republican Congressmen David Valadao (CA-22), Mike Garcia (CA-27), and Ken Calvert (CA-41).
Spanish language prescription drug costs: You can also write postcards about prescription drug costs to voters requesting information in Spanish in CA-22, CA-27 and CA-41.
Go to their website to get addresses: CLICK HERE.
Great New Listen: SCOTUS Reform
As with last year, this year’s Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) term was a dumpster fire.
But because the justices are appointed for life, options for reining them in are limited. Expanding the Court, adding term limits, changing jurisdiction, passing ethics reform – there are a variety of options.
So I was glad to see that the highly entertaining legal eagle and SCOTUS expert Elie Mystal has launched a podcast to go through the various options for fixing the Court. It’s called Contempt of Court, and new episodes will drop each Tuesday.
“The unelected and unaccountable nine politicians on the Supreme Court comprise the most powerful policy-making institution in the United States; Contempt of Court seeks to grapple with this gross miscarriage of democracy. The original podcast series will explain how to reform the court with a focus on historical insights, fresh analysis of the latest SCOTUS news, and distinct avenues for change. In each episode, Mystal will speak with the experts and advocates working to reform the Supreme Court in order to restore American democracy.”
So far only the trailer has dropped, but I knew you’d be interested – so I wanted to share ASAP: https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/elie-mystal-podcast-contempt-of-court/
WHEW! GO TEAM!
P.S.: Why don’t you make someone’s day and send this pep talk to a friend or two? I bet they need it.
If you’d like to sign up to get this pep talk and action list in your in-box each week, you can do that here. Welcome, friend!
P.P.S.: If you want to help support this work you can do so via Patreon at
https://www.patreon.com/smalldeedsdone or via paypal at https://www.paypal.me/smalldeeds
My deepest gratitude in advance.
Thank you for reading. Thank you for writing. I read and respond to every email! We’re in this together. Don’t you forget it.
Small Deeds Done 