North Carolina sits right here, in the middle, between Georgia and Washington, DC. And, today, our physical space on the map feels representative of our hearts. We are humbled and inspired by the powerful organizers that paved the way to victory in Georgia, but at the same time, we watched with horror the violent attack on democracy in Washington, DC.
To mince words would play down the severity of today’s events in Washington. The actions of far-right extremists were an attack on our country. Violence and supremacy will never succeed in overriding the will of the people. Full stop.
The tireless organizing, door knocking, phone banking, and building up of community in Georgia over the last 10 years has created a win for all of us today. Because of their work, we all now enter 2021 with a real opportunity to increase access to healthcare, to raise wages, to protect workers, and to get back to the work of caring for our neighbors across this nation.
In deep contrast to the great-hearted work of grassroots organizing, the people spreading terror at the capital were not there to defend our rights. They were not there to fight for healthcare. They were not there to promote equity or improve the human condition. They were not there to fight for a better world for us. They were there simply because they believe they have the right to be there at the behest of a president who refuses to accept the truth. Fortunately, unlike the people of Georgia, the people in Washington did not win.
We will not allow the actions of white supremacists and far-right extremists in Washington to dilute or distract us from what we have worked for, what we have accomplished, and what we have won. Millions of us did the work of community and democracy in 2020. We marched, we protested, we taught, and we connected with our communities to achieve the will of the people, locally and nationally. The result is that Joe Biden is the next president by overwhelming margins: Our communities voted for healthcare, for education, for living wages, for Black and Brown lives, and for democracy.
None of the chaos encouraged by the president today can change that, but it does warn us about what could be to come. An angry, armed white mob launched an assault inside of our Capitol, threatening our government, our democratic processes, and threatening human life. Law enforcement was unable or unwilling to stop this unprecedented attack in stark contrast to their reaction to communities of color seeking change. The events of today were encouraged by the president, but they will not end when he is out of office. This is why we organize in rural North Carolina. This is why we need you.
Democracy is not a state of being, it is a way of being– it must be preserved, defended, protected, nurtured, fought for, and cared for.
That is and must be our work. We invite you to join us.
