MEMBER EDITORIAL

As I See It

By Fannie Wiley Preston, Ph.D., Former Dean, School of Education, Saint Mary's College of California

You will be asked…."In 2025, when our democracy was threatened and we were faced with a constitutional crisis, what did you do?"

When all the civil rights advances of the last thirty years are being swept away at the stroke of a pen, did you sit ... do nothing, watch TV…? … An elected official who … uses intimidation as a strategy … brooks no dissent … uses the law when it is to his advantage.  A bully who … takes an oath to the Constitution and then breaks it’s every tenant. ……A person who surrounds himself with incompetence, makes loyalty the only criterion for the most sensitive jobs, who turns the running of the country over to oligarchs to whom he relinquishes his power for their “piggy bank.” … a “great” businessman who will manage inflation and lower prices. … He says that “we have to suffer short term pain for long term gain.” According to experts, there is no “gain” later. …it will take decades to repair the trust of the global community….

A person who hits hard in order to confuse and overwhelm. There is only one thing to do – hit hard, hit fast: organize, mobilize. Focus on our Constitution, our laws, our rights, our democracy. Focus on what he is doing and counter him at every turn.  Rest……if you must …but return to the fight.

What did you do when your country needed you?  …

One person can light a spark that influences others. Martin Luther King, Jr. … Mary Rogers… A. Phillip Randolph… Rev. Amos Brown…, were each that one person. We know what they did to fight injustice and force America to face itself and the promise of its Constitution. …Corey Booker is one person. … with his 24 plus-hour speech in the Senate, he changed the narrative in the country, mobilized and inspired his party to challenge every act …. His party … have (has) found their voice and realized they are not powerless. They are holding rallies and town halls in red States….

…  Your Constitution gives you the right to fight, speak your mind and demonstrate against injustice as long as it is done peacefully. … Take action NOW!!!  There is no time to waste.

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NOTE: The opinions described in this editorial are solely that of the author. From time to time, the Society accepts articles and editorials from members and friends in the interest of informing the broader community.