Re: Democratic Challengers 9: Can we climb this mountain? I don't know.
I have seen posts on Facebook from people saying they are going to remove themselves from politics, to stop posting, stop doing things, keep a low profile. I know morale is low. Among some the fear is real. I went to the town Democratic party meeting tonight. The last before our primary on Super Tuesday. It should have been packed. There were seven of us. This is not the time to give up. There has never been a more important time to speak up. To be seen. Individually we might be insignificant but together we are a multitude than cannot be stopped.
I am the last person who should lecture about privilege. I'm a white man with a college education and a family tree with roots in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. I know I am privileged. I may not always feel like it because my brand of privilege doesn't come with a bank account; however my skin, my race, my gender affords me a privilege in this society. But I have many friends who cannot say the same. They do not have the privilege of removing themselves from politics. They aren't able to just stop saying things or keep a low profile. Their skin IS their profile. Their gender IS their profile. Their religion IS their profile. If those of us who are privileged withdraw then who will speak for them? Who will stand with them?
There are too many important things for which to fight to toss in the towel now. If you are in New England, get your *** to New Hampshire this weekend. I'll be in Dover from Saturday through primary day. I am supporting Bernie Sanders. But that isn't the point of this message. Whether you are supporting Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar or whoever, get there to support your candidate. If you are still undecided, go there and listen to the candidates. It's New Hampshire. Retail politics. You'll probably have a chance to meet a candidate, or all the candidates. What happened in Iowa? I don't know. I don't care. Iowa was important because of the momentum a candidate could get and the media narrative. No matter the final results, both are gone. Iowa can return to irrelevance. It's on to New Hampshire.
Remember when you were sitting in history class and thinking, "What would I do if I had been in Germany in 1933?" It's not a hypothetical anymore. It is happening here. It is happening today. What you do now is what you would have done then. The Reichstag is on fire. What will you do?
My great uncle served in WWII. He will turn 104 this June. I couldn't look him in the face if I gave up now.