Some years ago, I participated in a walk against gun violence. The sign above has stayed with me since, and it carried a simple message – Expect Us.
Social media, news feeds are filled with gloom-and-doom speculation. Poll-reading has become a national past-time. But realizing that there is no way to predict what the outcome of tomorrow’s elections may be, I remain hopeful. Expect Us.
Expect Us to vote, to wait in line, to take time from work, to participate.
Expect Us not to be intimidated by click bait stories enumerating all the hypothetical ways voters can be deterred. We will not throw up our hands or stay at home because doing so risks our further slipping away from a democratic republic and into an authoritarian abyss.
Expect Us to negotiate whatever barriers to legally casting ballots may come our way.
Expect Us to know our rights as voters and call out those who may have trod on those rights.
Expect Us to have given thought to what the consequences of each vote – yea or nay – might be. We will come prepared, having done our homework on issues and on the positions of candidates.
Expect Us.
