On Jan. 6, the unthinkable happened. Yet for many, it is what we have been trying to prevent since Donald Trump’s inauguration.
The very idea that armed American citizens, fueled by conspiracy theories, could storm our Capitol in order to overturn a free and fair election in the name of fascism sounds like the beginning of a dystopian novel. Except it is not fiction.
We are faced with the harsh reality that the elected officials who tried to break our democracy and the thousands of Americans who took part in the violent attack aren’t going away on Jan. 20. How we move forward from this moment matters.
The last four years have been defined by Donald Trump’s desire to divide our country by race and class and make people suffer. He took office and swiftly issued a Muslim ban, signaling to the world that his administration would lead with xenophobia and racism. He quickly rolled back Environmental Protection Agency rules prioritizing corporate interests looking to continue destroying our planet for profit. He followed with massive tax cuts for the uber-wealthy and a pledge to take away healthcare from millions of people. He ripped children from their families and locked them in cages while beefing up the Enforcement & Removal ICE division accused of sterilizing brown women and abusing them, traumatizing generations to come. When a global pandemic hit, he not only shirked responsibility, but let people die for political gain. When cases and deaths skyrocketed, he called it a hoax while denying healthcare and financial protections, exacerbating the suffering and death toll. He gave away state secrets to our adversaries and agitated our allies.
He lied and lied and lied, and was proud of it.
And when the people had enough and voted him out of office, he threatened and tried to cheat his way back into power. When that didn’t work, he and his political allies incited an insurrection.
But through it all and even up until today, there have been enablers and champions of this behavior. Sides have been chosen. And while there is often a political ideological divide, this is not red vs. blue. It is the top vs. the bottom. It is a power structure that favors the uber-wealthy and exploits working class people. One in which corporate donors and special interest groups spend billions to be given priority legislation over the good of the people. A power structure that has brought racism, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, misogyny and anti-immigrant sentiment out into the open. This power structure has legislated inequities, inequality and minimized the influence of working class Americans in our democracy.
Over the coming weeks we will hear a lot about healing our country by “working across the aisle.” And while we must heal our country, we must also understand how the word “bipartisanship” will be used to fit a convenient political narrative. Bipartisanship requires cooperation and agreement from two sides— both acting in good faith with the best interests of their constituents in mind. But what will “finding common ground” look like when one side supports and abets seditionists, neo-Nazis and white supremacists? What will the compromise be between protecting our democracy and destroying it by overturning free and fair elections?
The answer to healing our country will not be found by reaching across the aisle and meeting those who enabled and campaigned on hate and violence halfway. The answer is relentlessly working on people-first solutions and not giving up until we achieve them. We will heal when our people don’t have to choose between paying rent or putting food on the table, when one bad diagnosis doesn’t put a family into generational medical debt and when everyone is treated equally and has the same opportunities. When our communities are put first instead of last, then healing will begin.
We can no longer allow “bipartisanship,” to be just an empty platitude to push an agenda. Working together must be less about what we are trading away and more about how we are collectively reaching meaningful solutions through bold initiatives that quickly and pragmatically center the needs of all Americans.
History will no doubt judge us unkindly. But this is not the end of our story. We have an opportunity in this moment to realize the American promise for all people, to begin to correct the mistakes of the past, to move forward with moral conviction and a value system our children can be proud of. This moment requires civic participation. It demands our leaders act in the interest of the American people.
This moment needs all of us. Our democracy depends on it.
Melanie D’Arrigo
Port Washington
