Headed back to Philly this evening after most of a week of work in the Washington, DC area.
Will be back to DC this Tuesday to work the polls with 1199 hospital worker members–sisters with big hearts and beautiful souls. They will be on their off time volunteering to help Jos Williams and the DC labor movement get out the vote for Muriel Bowser for mayor. Both of the last two mayors were one termers, because they double-crossed workers–Fenty went after teachers and Gray needlessly vetoed legislation that would have required Walmart and other big box stores in DC to pay at least a $12/hour minimum wage.
It was a pleasure to vote today in my old working class, majority immigrant inner ring suburb of DC. I didn’t have to hold my nose on a single vote. The ballot was full of progressives.
No matter where you live, the primary objective on Tuesday is to defeat the Koch Brothers and the rich, radical right Republicans out to destroy democracy in America. They’re also out to destroy democratic institutions necessary to sustaining democracy such as labor unions, universal quality education, easily available higher education, worker training controlled by workers, and universal suffrage.
Almost 20 years ago, I was a United Nations Election Observer in Sierra Leone. I can tell you that democracy is not a natural state of affairs or governing system for human beings. It has to be learned and sustained, and requires a great deal of personal discipline by those who are elected. I was almost killed twice and had to be rescued by mercenaries recruited by the UN because the army couldn’t be trusted.
As we struggle through democratic, nonviolent means we fight an oligarchy determined to overthrow our democracy by any means–buying elections, stealing votes, reenacting poll taxes, disenfranchising our elders, our youth, our brothers and sisters who are poor.
Remember, please remember, it is our very way of life and self-governance that is at stake.
That’s why Saturday I will be walking the streets of Philadelphia with my 1199 brothers and sisters on our own time for Tom Wolf for Governor.
There ain’t nothin’–nothin’ at all–more important to do right now than get out the vote for Democrats.
Photo source: Theresa Thompson on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)