I’m Definitely Taking the California Secretary of State’s Advice

by Ernie McCray

I showed up
at the San Diego County Democratic Party’s
46th Annual Roosevelt Dinner
with a mind jumbled with questions
concerning the theme:
“A New Hope for Democracy,”
wondering what could be said
as, seemingly,
the country
is sinking like a ship
in an extremely agitated sea,
even if the keynote speaker
is someone
whom I consider to be
one of the most extraordinary
speechmakers there could possibly be,
my cherished friend,
Shirley Weber,
California’s Secretary of State,

a renowned problem solver

and defender of human rights

and civil rights

and voting rights,

an educator

of great renown

and I couldn’t wait to hear

her take

on these troubled times…

And she began

by saying

“What can I say?”

and it was so refreshing

and reassuring

to hear words

that reflected

what was

reverberating in my mind that day

as we seek answers,

hearing her honesty

as she in her brief remarks

went on to say

that she could,

as I slightly paraphrase,

tell us nothing

that we hadn’t seen

each and every day:

the evilness,

the madness,

the imperiling

of our democracy

in so many ways.”

Then she simply asked all present

at the dinner

to do the least that we could do,

join her in the battle against

a president’s

abominable behavior,

his ridiculously impulsive

intimidating “strongman” tactics

that endanger us as a society.

Specifically

she asked

us to simply vote in June

in the California Primary

and then take it all in November.

And that struck a chord in me

as I am definitely up for such an assignment

as a new hope for democracy.

We must end the lunacy.

And sometimes it’s the simple actions

that lead us to victory.