Watching the recounting of the events of Jan. 6 was chilling with details of the violence, fear and acts of heroism. Perhaps even more chilling was the presentation of clear evidence of the ongoing movement toward authoritarianism through suppression of voting rights and destruction of the safeguards protecting the fair counting of the votes. It is hard to imagine that we could lose the America we have taken for granted, but the possibility is all too real.
Some may say that the anniversary events and media coverage had little effect because it was “preaching to the choir.” I am hoping that this “preaching to the choir” has the dual effect of reinforcing our awareness of the terrible possibilities that lie ahead and energizing those of us who understand how vulnerable our democratic system is.
It is up to us to fight to preserve it. We must remain vigilant and take action to preserve our democracy. This means letting our senators know that we support legislation to protect voting access and to protect the fair counting of the votes. It means making calls, donating time and money, writing letters, and showing up at meetings and demonstrations.
