May 2023
THE PROGRESS/BACKLASH TWO-STEP
“You can’t expel hope. You can’t expel justice.”
—Representative Justin Pearson, after he was reappointed to the Tennessee House whose GOP supermajority had just expelled him
We see it over and over again–significant gains made thanks in large part to grassroots organizers. Then, ruthless anti-democratic efforts to thwart those gains: disinformation; voting restrictions; the Big Lie. Extreme partisan gerrymandering has enabled right-wing legislative supermajorities to strip power from Democratic officials and run roughshod over constituents’ wishes on issues such as healthcare, education, jobs, abortion, gun safety, book bans, and treatment of trans people. Now they’re even expelling lawmakers who speak for those constituents.
Just this past month, the culture warriors of the Tennessee and Montana state houses, more incensed by breaches of decorum than by kids getting murdered by another mass shooter with an assault rifle or the harm anti-trans bills are causing families, banned duly elected colleagues from speaking or even holding office. Stung by the outrage that translated into pro-choice electoral success after Roe was overturned, many GOP-controlled state governments are busily trying to raise the thresholds of citizen initiatives and constitutional amendments from a simple majority to 60%. We’ve seen a lot of brazen tripling-down to silence opposition.
It’s enough to make you want to tear your hair out, or just give up and tune out. Don’t fall for it. Demoralization is also part of the right-wing’s strategy. Remember that the assault on our freedoms are happening precisely because we’ve been making progress in the last three election cycles. Of course there are setbacks, such as North Carolina’s Supreme Court’s flip to the right, plus a Sinema-like Democratic legislator there switching to the GOP. Such heartbreakers are damaging and real.
But what’s also real is the steady increase in progressive power as people wake up to the threat of extremism. The backlash against progress is backfiring. As Jessica Craven writes in Chop Wood, Carry Water, “for every wrench Republicans throw in the works of democracy there are a hundred ‘mechanics’ working to keep the gears turning smoothly. We can’t fix everything the GOP breaks, but so far we’ve been able to repair or maintain enough of it to keep on winning. . . This is because of the quiet genius of a thousand organizations and the sheer determination and sweat equity put in by millions of democracy warriors like yourselves.”
The grassroots organizations your generosity supports are among those vital democracy warriors, building powerful coalitions among marginalized community members who come together based on shared values and issues. Airlift Partners tell us about growing activism by people who were formerly uninvolved, the emergence of terrific leaders, and many successes on the local level. These are folks who are used to inhospitable political terrain, and they’re clear-eyed, excited, and optimistic about the future.
So are we.
Recently, President Biden spoke in honor of the Good Friday Agreement that brought once-impossible-seeming peace to Northern Ireland 25 years ago. His words also perfectly describe the moment we’re in now, and the movement we and our Partners engage in every day:
“It took long, hard years of work to get to this place. It took a people willing to come together in good faith and to risk boldly for the future…. At the time, it seemed so distant….All the immense progress we see around us was built through conversation and compromise, discussion and debate, voting and inclusion. It’s an incredible attestation to the power of democracy to deliver the needs for all the people.”
The work is long and hard, but together we will expel hopelessness and injustice.
NORTH CAROLINA:
REASON TO HOPE - AND PARTY!
“Of all the states we ought to be able to transform from red to blue over the next decade, North Carolina is still very much at the top of the list.”
--Billy Wimsatt, Movement Voter Project
There’s a lot more to North Carolina than recent dispiriting headlines suggest. In fact, savvy analysts see it as one of the best prospects for becoming reliably blue–with the proper investments. We are thrilled that Down Home North Carolina’s Co-Directors are coming to town to give us the real scoop about what’s happening on the ground. Please join us for a fun and informative get-together. And if you can’t be there in person, please consider donating to support Down Home’s crucial work for the 2024 election.
Come meet the extraordinary co-executive directors from
Down Home North Carolina — live and in person!
Enjoy light refreshments and the tunes of Ain't' Misbehavin’
USE YOUR RAGE TO ENGAGE
Here’s how:
Donate by Check. Set up automatic payments to Airlift with the Bill Pay service at your bank, or send a check directly to: Airlift, PO Box 617, Corte Madera CA 94976
Donate Online at ActBlue. Just click the button, and click again to Make it Monthly!
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FIELD NOTES
Lobby Day at Wisconsin’s State Capitol with Leaders Igniting Transformation. LIT speaks out for a budget that reflects what young people need. Read more.
Down Home North Carolina out in front to defeat 2024 GOP candidate for Governor: “Mark Robinson is dangerous. Robinson has built his career off division and hate. As Lt. Governor, he hasn't introduced a single policy to help working people, but instead has spent his time chasing fame amongst right wing MAGA extremists, speaking at Trump rallies, and appearing on right wing talk shows. His approach to governing is to amplify divisive talking points that turn North Carolinians against each other--all to build his own career. He has gone after women, immigrants, the LGBTQIA+ community, and, yes, even Black people [Robinson is Black]. Mark Robinson doesn’t represent us! He is a threat to working people. We must stop Mark Robinson from becoming our next governor.”
Climate champions at Communities for a New California–helping the earth while organizing! See more.
Success from PASU chapter Berks Stands Up: “After 8 long years of dedication, collaboration, and countless actions we're proud to share we’ve shut down the Berks Detention Center for good. It opens up a chance for our coalition partners and community to create a new public resource to truly support Berks County.”
