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Post Election Thoughts
Last Tuesday I shared these thoughts at the Board of Superviso
rs. I want to share the
m with you and encourage you to get involved at the local level for the values we care about.
I want to say something about the election we had last week. Since last Tuesday I have heard the anguish that many have felt about the nature of the debate in this campaign. The campaign focused on issues of personality rather than about policy, renewing old fights rather than concentrating on the challenges we face about the future.
Some say that elections are about power not necessarily about truth. This last presidential election most certainly makes that maxim accurate and important. As the consequences of this election unfold, it will be critical for those of us at the local level to speak truth to power and to continue to show compassion, and practice inclusion in ways that are unlikely at the federal level. In past contested elections, some of us survived to see another, more hopeful election. But not everyone. I think we need to prepare for the safety net that protects the most vulnerable, might be furthered shredded to make good on campaign promises. We don't have the luxury of just waiting until the next election to right the ship. As we enter the coming year, we will need to prioritize our resources to ensure that the collateral damage from this dispirited election are not our neighbors and constituents. We will need to be creative to ensure the success of programs that can make a difference even when they are not valued by the new administration.
We must speak the truth to power that support for our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community that is a valuable part of our community, and we need to protect them from discrimination. We will need to continue to defend a woman's reproductive choice and fund programs that care for children and families. We need to continue to provide services to all of our residents, regardless of their immigration status. We will need to speak out against bigotry in all the forms that we once thought were confined to the dustbin of history, but have reared their heads anew in this campaign. Whether it is based on someone's religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation, we, as leaders in the community, must use our platform to defend members of our community from hate.
Our County is well known for sometimes swimming against the tide. We are in that position once again. We will need to organize and lead from this coast since I don't suspect that the leadership coming from Washington D.C. is likely to represent our values. Now is the time to one together and use our collective power to strengthen the bonds within our community, to help our neighbors and not fall for fatalism but instead focus on activism.
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