What Democracy Looks Like

I live in a red state but I wish it were blue.  In 2008 — by the miracle of a massive organizing effort, hard-working grassroots volunteers, and a candidate like none other — Barack Obama carried our state by less than 14,000 votes.  But four years later, the miracle was long gone and our temporarily blue state transitioned back to red.  In 2012 President Obama lost by almost 100,000 votes.  Now in 2013, with a Republican super-majority, the tide has turned so red that it's scary.

I'm not an activist/organizer-type but I did campaign for Obama and recently I attended some community rallies at the state capital to let our legislators know that some of their electorate were not pleased with cuts to services affecting women, children, teachers, the unemployed, and the economically disadvantaged.  To make things even worse, this super majority's making changes to the rules to suit their purposes and ensure their agenda.

Led by the clergy, the weekly "Moral Monday" rallies mobilized people enforce — even though it hasn't swayed our Republican governor or legislators one iota. 

Last Monday, as 8000 people gathered from across our state, across generations, across issues, across religious, racial, socio-economic, and sexual affiliations— posters in hand and on their backs — with purpose and voice, in call-and-response — the crowd chanted:

"Tell me what democracy looks like?

THIS is what democracy looks like..."

Red, white or blue — it was a show of strength and a crowd I was proud to be part of — 'cause this is what democracy looks like.