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.

Ernie McCray
Author: Ernie McCray
I was raised in a loving and alive home, in a black neighborhood filled with colorful characters in Tucson, Arizona. Such an environment gave me a hint that life has to be grabbed by the tail as tight as a pimple on a mosquito's butt. With no BS and a whole lot of love. So, from those days to now I get up every morning set on making the world a better place. On my good foot*, and I hope my writing reflects that. *an old black expression

4 thoughts on “ I’m Definitely Taking the California Secretary of State’s Advice

  1. No thanks, I’ll remain an unregistered Dem.

    What are their plans for doing things differently this election season that they didn’t do in 2016 or 2024 that got us the orange jellyfish, or in 2020 or 2024 that got us, Todd? The ‘Blue Wave’ hasn’t worked too well.

    1. It appears that the Dems – despite themselves – on the national level will swamp the US House and retake it in November. And maybe the Senate. This will be devastating to any future Trump plans. This doesn’t mean he can’t create more havoc.

      On the city level, it’s a different story. Many are fed up with the clique that has been running San Diego for a while now. Trouble is Gloria was just re-elected in Nov24 and we’re stuck with him. The only change will be on the city council and it will be incremental and very slow.

  2. Of course, she has nothing to say! As they say, do the math. We have an ecomy that rewards us for doing things that promote war, global warming, poverty, racism, homelessness and injustice, along with crime and untreated seeage. This situation, though it is endemic, has developed locally, so yes, Gloria and the DP has produced it and the people who put the comedians in the WH are exploiting this at the expense of most of the world and our common future. So of course, she had nothing to say. But she, like Gloria, Newsome, etc. is doing fine, no?

    But there is a solution, and we should probably consider it in view of our climate problems and the forecast $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget that cripples the US economy at every level and makes it hard to develop ecologically sistainably, among other things like healthcare, education, etc.

    Michael Winn, Foundet
    Own Your Government
    https://ownyourgov.com

  3. I think she was saying she has nothing more to say than what others are already saying. For that I can’t condemn her. What does ruin my view of Shirley Weber is the fact that while she was on the SD school board, she was a key vote in favor of keeping JROTC, even though she also commented that she wouldn’t want her daughter in it. According to the DoD, about 40% of students who are placed in that program eventually wind up in the military. So, her daughter was heading for college, but it didn’t seem to matter that many others in the community would be sent to our wars.

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