Read this:
Me, I’ve been shouting about this crisis from every rooftop I could find for years – talking about how our middle class was squeezed to the breaking point, how chances to move up in this economy were disappearing, and warning that, if we weren’t careful, the very promise of this nation—the commitment to expand opportunities—would be lost.
That’s the fight that got me into politics. That’s the fight that brought me to my very first Netroots all those years ago.
How about you? By applause: Who got into the fight because they were passionate about economic justice? Who came to fight for reproductive rights? How about clean air and clean water? How about immigration? Civil rights? Human rights? Anti-war? Campaign finance reform? Net neutrality? Any other bankruptcy nerds in the house?
That’s one of the things I love about coming to Netroots. We all came to this fight from different experiences. We all get fired up about different issues.
But if we’re going to be the people who lead the Democratic Party back from the wilderness and lead our country out of this dark time, then we can’t waste energy arguing about whose issue matters most or who in our alliance should be voted off the island.
We need to see each other’s fights as our own. And I believe we can.
In the wake of the last election, I’ve heard people say we need to decide whether we’re the party of the white working class or the party of Black Lives Matter.
I say we can care about a dad who’s worried that his kid will have to move away from their factory town to find good work – and we can care about a mom who’s worried that her kid will get shot during a traffic stop.
The way I see it, those two parents have something deep down in common—the system is rigged against both of them—and against their kids.
Those are the words of Elizabeth Warren, delivered at Netroots Nation 2017. They resound so strongly that I hope every Democrat, progressive, Green, socialist—everyone across our left spectrum reads them and thinks about them. They represent the way forward for the Democratic Party, and for progressives.
It is a lesson in coalition politics. Personally, social justice/racial justice/gender justice—what people might derisively call ‘identity politics'—are easily the most important issues for me.
Warren self-identifies as an economic justice warrior. But she understands my concerns and the concerns of tens of millions of people of color, LGBTQ people, women, and those facing this new onslaught of white male supremacy led by racist in chief Donald J. Trump.
And those of us for whom racial and social justice are the paramount concerns must listen to Sen. Warren’s paramount concerns. We believe in economic justice, too. Joining forces is not only not difficult for us, it is a natural coalition: economic justice will help serve racial justice, even if it is not the magic bullet for it. Because Sen. Warren is right—the system is rigged against all of us. Speaking of the discrimination against women, Warren said:
Yes, the system is rigged [. . . ] When women aren’t invited to the debate over our own health care and health insurance must cover Viagra but not birth control.
When we’re almost two decades into the 21st century and we still don’t have equal pay for equal work.
When a man running for President of the United States can get caught on tape bragging about sexual assault and Republican party leaders turn a blind eye.
Yeah, the system is rigged.
[My emphasis]
When speaking of racial injustice, Sen. Warren said:
When the black-white wealth gap triples over the past three decades.
When racist voter ID laws and voter suppression tactics sprout like weeds all across the country.
When a man too racist to become a judge in the 1980s now runs the Department of Justice
When communities like Flint are living with poisoned water and polluted air.
When there’s still no justice for, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, Philando Castile and so many more.
Yeah, the system is rigged.
[My emphasis]
When speaking of discrimination against the LGBTQ community, Sen. Warren said:
When you can still be fired from your job because of who you love.
When you can’t use a public restroom or serve in the military because of your gender identity.
When you’re afraid to report a rape because ICE could split up your family.
When you’re treated like a suspect every minute of your life.
Yeah, the system is rigged.
[Mt emphasis]
We’ve heard Sen. Warren speak eloquently on economic justice for more than a decade now. She is perhaps its most powerful advocate.
But now she argues that we must fight together—for all of our issues.
This doesn’t mean we stop disagreeing on specific policy prescriptions. Some of the policies Warren is proposing are flawed, and imagine some of the policies I believe in are not something Warren agrees with. But I trust her values. And I know she is on my side—on all issues.
Warren said:
[I]f we’re going to be the people who lead the Democratic Party back from the wilderness and lead our country out of this dark time, then we can’t waste energy arguing about whose issue matters most or who in our alliance should be voted off the island.
[My emphasis]
We need to see each other’s fights as our own. And I believe we can.
Your fight is my fight. I hope my fight can become yours, too.
