A statement from the Monroe County Democratic Party's Executive Board:
September 20, 2020:
When we all made plans to say goodbye to 2019 and gear up for 2020, none of us would have ever expected what this new year would bring us. We kept saying “Hindsight is 2020” and were gearing up for one of the best years yet. However, along our journey, our willpower has been tested and our foundation has been shaken to the core.
Climate change continues to show us its severity with the burning of the wildfires in Australia earlier this year and the continued wildfires out west, to the point that our friendly skies in Monroe County were affected by it this week.
Covid-19 has come in and re-shaped our everyday activities, and our lives have been drastically altered to new norms that involve face masks and social distancing. As a result of this pandemic, thousands have lost jobs, and sadly 200,000 Americans have succumbed to this virus that the President originally downplayed and said would “just disappear” with warmer weather. Let that sink in for you.
We continue to see protests, public outcry, and social unrest due to police brutality and the murders of Elijiah McClain, Breonna Taylor, Daniel Prude, Rayshard Brooks, Dreasjon Reed, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, and George Floyd. Our community protested and took to our streets for Black Lives and rallied behind our very own community members Vauhxx Booker and Darwin Davis.
This year we also lost Congressman John Lewis, an icon who dedicated his entire life to championing for equality and even in death encouraged us to get into some “Good Trouble”. Then, we were rocked with news last night with the untimely passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Now we have learned the Senate leader Mitch McConnell is looking to replace the beloved Ginsburg before the election; a contradiction to a comment he made about this very same issue back in 2016 and hypocrisy at its finest.
Now is the time for us to wipe our tears away and not stay complacent with anger, but instead channel our raw emotions to make positive change and get into Good Trouble. There are 44 days left until the election, and the administration in the White House continues to fail us everyday. Trey Hollingsworth continues to fail our district and has no business being our representative. New leadership is desperately needed at the state level and we can achieve this with electing Dr. Woody Myers as a Governor and Linda Lawson as Lieutenant Governor. Electing a fearless State Senator such as Shelli Yoder, and re-electing Matt Pierce as a State Representative and electing new candidates such as Alyssa Bailey, Paula Staley, Tiffany Grant, and Cinde Wirth. Our local candidates are seeking your support such as County Council Candidates Trent Deckard, Cheryl Munson, and Geoff McKim. Re-electing our phenomenal Judge Val Haughton and electing new judges: Geoff Bradley and Kara Krothe.
IF we truly want to make a difference, it is very simple: We need YOU. Donate to a campaign and support our candidates by hosting their yard sign in your yard. Share their information on social media and proudly say why you support them. You MUST then register to vote, and if you already are registered, check your status. Lastly, you MUST vote: whether it’s via absentee or in person (be sure to wear your masks), but please vote.
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said it best when she tweeted, “Now is not the time for cynicism or hopelessness. There is and continues to be political possibility to preserve our democracy and move forward. It will require each and every one of us, from the streets to the Senate, to grow in courage, strength and strategy. But it is possible”.
So hindsight is still 2020 because we are truly being shown that we are in the fight of our lives. So are you ready to do this together? If so, let us embody the fighting spirit and do as the great Angela Davis said best, “Let us no longer accept the things that we cannot change, but change the things that we can no longer accept!”
