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Here we are, at the dawn of the Biden-Harris administration with urgent and transformational opportunities to reform our democracy and advance action on climate, clean energy, and environmental justice.
I'm sure you join me in a sense of relief to see the end of Donald Trump's presidency, and with him, the end to his racist, authoritarian, and cruel actions. But we cannot simply move on and forget the horrible things he has done—particularly the inciting of the deadly attack on the Capitol and our democracy nearly one month ago.
As the inspiring Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman writes: 1
But while democracy can be periodically delayed,
It can never be permanently defeated.
In this truth, in this faith, we trust.
For while we have our eyes on the future,
history has its eyes on us.
We’re at a crossroads—our democracy will not be defeated as long as we the people continue to fight for it. And we are fighting for a democracy that is rooted in justice.
Justice will only be served when Trump, his enablers, and those involved in trying to overthrow our government are held fully accountable. The House impeached Trump for inciting the January 6 attack on the Capitol. And now it's up to the Senate to defend our constitution, convict Trump, and disqualify him from running for federal office again. Many senators—both Republicans and Democrats—need to hear from you, their constituents, in advance of the Senate trial that starts in just a few days, on February 9.
I watched the deadly attack on our country by white supremacists at the Capitol with horror.
As a new mother, I was scared for what this meant for my baby’s future. I never thought in my democracy I would see guns drawn on the floor of the US Capitol, civil servants and members of Congress hiding, not knowing if they would get out alive. Long before January 6, our democracy was not doing well, but that day I truly felt how fragile it is.
As a former DC resident, I watched with sadness and anger at the destruction and violence against my former city and felt fear for my friends who work in the Capitol and live nearby.
As someone committed to racial justice, I recognized the hypocrisy of police showing restraint to violent white insurrectionists while just months earlier militarized police had beaten, tear-gassed, and escalated violence against people of color peacefully protesting in defense of Black lives.
And as an American, I feel a resolve to redouble my efforts to work toward our vision of a more just, fair, and inclusive democracy. Having elected leaders who feel accountable to their constituents is crucial to realizing the dream of democracy.
The deadly insurrection was brought on by a president and complicit Republicans spreading lies about our election. It was a desperate attempt to subvert the will of the people who turned out in record numbers, particularly the Black and Brown Americans who organized and helped flip states like Georgia and Arizona to deliver a victory for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris so they could bring about the change they promised.
Even though Trump is out of office, we must show that such a treasonous act will be held to account. This is about sending a message to future leaders that no one is above the law. In our democracy, you can’t lie, cheat, and attempt to overthrow our government without being held accountable by the rest of us. Our democracy respects the will of the people. Our democracy demands justice. After it convicts Trump, Congress must also take the extra step of disqualifying him from running for office again.
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Act now and urge your senators to support the conviction and disqualification of Trump for his betrayal of our country. You can make a big impact by making a call: Text CONVICT to 69866 to be connected to your senators.
History has its eyes on us. We can make this a country where our leaders reflect and represent every person in this country. Where liberty and justice is for all, no exceptions.
1 - Domonoske, Camila, "'Not Broken But Simply Unfinished': Poet Amanda Gorman Calls For A Better America," NPR, 01/20/2021.