longer.blue

Dear suzette, As an organization with the word “democracy” in its name, yesterday felt particularly special, unrelated to the actual results. It was special because the country did the ordinary extraordinary act of voting in massive numbers, responding with affirmation of the vision of the nation’s founders as “We the People.” After months of warnings about ICE at the polls and National Guard troops patrolling nearby, after threats of seized ballots and real efforts to challenge ballots in advance of a singe vote, after planning to protect the election officials who make this system work, and after worrying about and planning for all that could go wrong, Americans voted quietly and with dignity. They waited in line with patience, and their individual voices produced a loud response. The political meaning of the results will be parsed for weeks and that is where we defer to the analysis of others. We, instead, see a nonpolitical message that is simple and crucial, no matter your political leanings. We see an electorate that said no to cruelty, no to hooded and disguised federal employees aggressively patrolling their streets and harming individuals, no to deplorable and inhumane detention conditions, and no to the deportation of their long-time friends, neighbors, classmates, and workers within their communities. We see an electorate that said it was tired of the grifting, the shouting, and the retribution. Most importantly, we see an electorate that is begging for kindness and decency. We see an electorate that waited for its moment to say clearly that it wanted – no, needed – respect for themselves and for each other. To us, that is how to explain results that represent America far more than a political ideology. These new government leaders will include people from all walks of life – men and women from vastly different economic backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, family configurations, ages, and personal beliefs. There remains much work ahead. But today is a day to feel gratitude for an election that served as a fitting end-of-year tribute to the signing of the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago. The people met the vision and for that we should all be grateful. Thank you for your ongoing support of LDAD. Please help us protect the rule of law and the freedoms we hold dear by volunteering for our Meeting the Moment initiative and donating to our work. Thank you, Lawyers Defending American Democracy