From The Homefront, Vol.17
Don’t forget to view the town hall with civil rights leader DeRay McKesson and then join us on Zoom for a discussion this Thursday, July 9 at 7 p.m.
- Zoom Link
- Password: Ladieslead
Dear Leading Ladies,
As the days of summer move on, we all try to enjoy the blue skies and warm air, thankful for our good health, if we have it, still missing those we can only see in two dimensions on the small screens in front of us, and, of course, wondering what lies ahead for ourselves and others.
Will our children and grandchildren return to school in September? If so, will they be safe?
Will we be able to visit our parents and grandparents without endangering them?
Will we and our neighbors and friends have jobs in a month or two or three?
And, always, what can we do to help those less fortunate than ourselves and to ensure that our world becomes more equitable than it clearly is right now.
Change will demand so much to be lasting and real: politicians to enact legislation that creates equity in education, housing, hiring, policing, and healthcare; an end to unfair voting laws and regulations that discourage people from exercising their rights to vote; education of the entire populace about the true history of racism, xenophobia, and discrimination in this country so the roots of hate can be pulled out and destroyed.
The tasks seem monumental and often discouraging. It is reassuring to remember, as the great Rabbi Tarfon wrote more than two thousand years ago, “You are not obligated to complete the task of perfecting the world, but neither are you free to desist from it.” For some of us, the work will be learning more and sharing what we learn; for others, it will be knocking on doors (virtually or actually) to sign up people to vote; and, for some, it will mean writing letters, marching in protests, and even putting ourselves at bodily risk. And it will all matter.
For further reading this week, check out:
Isabel Wilkerson’s article in the New York Times about caste in America
David Litt’s new book, Democracy in One Book or Less: How It Works, Why It Doesn’t, and Why Fixing It Is Easier Than You Think
And if you are motivated to write a letter or make a phone call this week, let your state reps know that you support the bills pending that would 1) rewrite the rules for the use of force and enact serious consequences for misconduct; 2) allow victims of police brutality to hold officers accountable; and 3) pause government use of face surveillance which is racially-biased and unregulated. Learn more here.
Be well,
Therese
Judy
Kim
Mary