When FDR uttered these words he couldn’t have imagined a more consequential day. He couldn’t have fathomed a January 6, 2021 when US citizens stormed the capitol in the spirit of righteous indignation and support of a defeated presidential candidate. He couldn’t have imagined a November 5, 2024 when Americans had the opportunity to elect a Black woman to the highest office in the land. That day, the day Pearl Harbor was bombed was a critical juncture in U.S. history.
Today we find ourselves at another.
What will the history books say? “Yesterday, November 5, 2024 – a date which will live in infamy – the United States of America, what? Stood on its promise of a land that believes all men are created equal by electing its first female president? Or did America revert to its lesser self and elect a tyrant who holds little respect for the constitution let alone the rainbow of people who make up the fabric of America.
Either way when the sun rises November 6, 2024 there are a few things we need to do regardless of who was chosen to sit behind the resolute desk come January 20th.
First and foremost, it is essential that we respect the will of the voters and the integrity of the electoral process. Several groups have already been found making plans to overturn election results if former President Trump loses. Democracy is delicate. While it’s natural to feel passionate about the outcome, we must remember that the democratic process does not end on election day. The days and weeks that follow November 5th will be crucial for ensuring a peaceful and orderly transition of power. Be vigilant.
Second, one of the most important things we can do in the aftermath of election day is to remain engaged locally. While the top of the ballot is important, here in Texas and specifically in Dallas, those down ballot races are just as, if not more important. We have 18 city wide charter amendments and a slew of county judge, commissioner, and state representative races to decide. The people in these races will help set your tax rate, your bail system, and decide what’s decriminalized and what’s not.
While it is true, voter turnout is always larger during presidential elections, it is crucial that we keep the current fervor and zeal with which we see communities engaging in elections year round by holding our elected officials accountable. Go or listen online to city council meetings. Learn your county commissioners name. Contact your state representative. Hold them accountable, your vote was not free. It came with the expectation that these elected officials would take office from city hall to the U.S. capitol with you in mind. Hold them to it.
Finally, we must advocate for policies, not just politicians. While I believe Vice President Harris is our country’s best chance at fulfilling the dreams our forefathers had of creating a land where everyone was imbued with certain unalienable rights; I also understand the need to play the long game beyond her tenure in office. Elected officials come and go, but policies, once implemented, can last for decades. For example, the summer of 2022 saw the overturning of what should be a codified statue in the form of Roe v Wade. The only way we will see this action reversed is advocating for reproductive rights beyond individual politicians and across party lines.
By focusing on policies, citizens can promote real change, drive bipartisan support, and contribute to a more issues-centered political culture. This approach emphasizes solutions, accountability, and long-term progress over short-term political victories.
To be sure, none of these things feel like enough when juxtaposed against an election that has been said to incur “an extinction level threat to democracy”. None of it feels like enough when one candidate is being called “unfit to lead”, as the other continues to tell charismatic lies in hopes of dazzling his supporters into voting him into office again.
None of it feels like enough.
However, let me assure you. If you have voted, and supported physically or financially with contributions or block walking, or even educated your family or friends on what this election means, you have done your part.
And if for some reason, you have not voted, or find yourself on the fence, one final appeal to the better angels of your nature. “We are not enemies but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break the bonds of our affection.” Abraham Lincoln delivered these words in his first inaugural address during a time not much different from where we find ourselves. There was deep uncertainty as the country found itself on the brink of civil war, and President Lincoln’s exhortation was simple, act beyond what may be your natural selfish instinct. Choose empathy over animosity, reason over reaction, and moral courage over convenience.
On November 6, 2024, what will you have chosen?