Goodbye 2020, and Good Riddance

Happy New Year 🎉

Thank you all for sharing the journey with me. Thank you for the questions and comments. We got through 2020; 2021 will be better.

2021 will be the year to Make Democracy Cool Again.

If the universe is unfolding as it should, Trump awakened enough people from complacency and spurred us to treasure our democracy and take the necessary steps to preserve it.

How about a few resolutions?

#1: Run for Something (or help someone else run for something)

Want to really make a difference in politics and government? Don’t just march, run for something.

Run for Something recruits and supports young first-time candidates running for local office with the goal of building progressive infrastructure at the state and local level and winning sustainable power.

Make sure things are done right. Be the person in charge.

If you can’t run for something, find someone you know who would be terrific, and encourage that person to run. You can also volunteer to help Run for Something screen candidates.

#2: Be a Community Organizer

Do you have a talent for organizing? If so, democracy needs you. One reason the Tea Party was successful was that they organized locally and put pressure on local officials.

#3: Register New Voters

Start now. It’s not too early. In some states, you can become an official volunteer voter registrar. James Williams in Maryland told how he did it in his state.

#4: Be An Institutionalist

Our democratic institutions are under attack. So what should you do? Defend them. Defend Institutions is #2 on @TimothyDSnyder‘s list in his book, On Tyranny.

What’s an institutionalist and how do you become one? See this post.

#5: If you are a teacher consider an assignment requiring students to advocate on behalf of an issue of their choice. . .

. . . or allow / encourage your students to substitute an assignment with a civic engagement activity of some kind. They are the future. Empower them.

#6: Also, if you’re a teacher, assign novels and stories about real-life young people who step up and do what the adults seem unable to manage

Just look at the Parkland students, who, incidentally, were raised on a steady stream of dystopian novels in which young people save the nation.

7: Become a Social Engineer

What do I mean? See this post.

#8: Help People Become Citizens

Support low-cost immigration services, volunteer at an organization such as CUNY Citizenship, or at organizations that tutor English and civics for the naturalization test.