“Crazy For This Democracy”
~Zora Neale Hurston
In 1945, Zora Neale Hurston published an essay in the Negro Digest. It was both satire and critique of our messy, imperfect, unfinished enterprise in self-governance. She wrote:
They tell this democracy form of government is a wonderful thing. It has freedom, equality, justice, in short, everything! Since 1937 nobody has talked about anything else…the radio, the newspapers, and the columnists inside the newspapers have said how lovely it was. And this talk and praise giving has got me in the notion to try some of this stuff. All I want is to get hold of a sample of the thing, and I declare, I sure will try it. I don’t know for myself, but I have been told it is wonderful.
Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960) was a Black woman, and it was 1945, so of course she didn’t know about this thing called democracy. Her people were denied this ‘wonderful thing’ because of “the presence of numerous Jim Crow laws on the statute books of the nation.” Hurston was a world-renowned writer and anthropologist. Her short stories and plays often depicted African American life in the South. She is considered one of the foremost women writers in the 20th century.
It wasn’t until the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1965 that Black voters were given the full franchise. Jim Crow had prevented black citizens from getting hold of a ‘sample of the thing’. Black voters and other POC (People of Color) today continue to struggle to exercise their right to the ballot box because of voter suppression, voter intimidation, extreme voter ID laws, purging of voter rolls and attempts to discard their ballots once they have voted. Jim Crow is not just a ghost of the past.
Following the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, people line up to vote (most for the first time) at the Sugar Shack store, Peachtree, Alabama, May 3, 1966. (Photo by National Archives of Fort Worth/PhotoQuest/Getty Images)
Hurston’s words hold a mirror to our democracy, showing its promise alongside its flaws. Democracy is never finished, the right to vote is not a static victory but an ongoing struggle.
Did You Know:
Our democracy is 248 years old. If we elect Kamala Harris, our country will celebrate the 250th anniversary as a free people living within the rights and freedoms of our founding Constitution. If we elect Donald Trump, that anniversary will be very different.
Donald Trump says he will seek retribution on his political enemies; the politicians, journalists, media and activists who disagree with him. He says that these ‘enemies from within’ should be met with force, military force if necessary. In 2022, Donald Trump said he would terminate the constitution. He has continued to perpetuate the 'big lie' that the 2020 election was stolen, even though he knows that is not true. These are not the words of a candidate who will honor an oath to ‘protect and preserve the constitution.’ These are the words of a wanna-be dictator.
The ‘big lie’ is believed to be true by almost eighty million Americans. Elected officials in the national government and in Indiana continue to promote this lie to stay in power. For those of us who know that the 2020 election was fair, who know that Donald Trump and MAGA extremists are willing to overthrow the will of the people to stay in power and who see the imminent danger that we are facing in this moment---this is our moment!
We are the ones now who must be ‘crazy about this democracy’ and be sure that those who come after us will be able to experience how wonderful it is.
What You Can Do:
Poets and artists are our guides for these times of uncertainty and chaos. They tell us that it is in precisely these uncertain times we must go to work. Toni Morrison was clear eyed about our assignment:
There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, for room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal. I know the world is bruised and bleeding, and though it is important not to ignore the pain, it is also critical to refuse to succumb to its malevolence. (emphasis added)
This is our time, dear friends. We must be crazy in love with this democracy, as flawed and imperfect as it is. If we want the ideals of freedom and equality to be more than distant promises, we must continue to work with our words and our actions these remaining days of the election of our lifetime.
This is the moment for artists, poets, activists, and everyday citizens to take a stand for what is right and good and true. We have been able to get hold of a ‘sample of the thing’ and we know that it is wonderful. So, let’s keep ‘doing something’ these next few days.
Vote early! Download and share this clickable map that includes early voting dates, locations, and times for each county. Early voting options are available this week through Monday, November 4 at noon.
Vote the entire ballot. (For more information about the importance of voting the entire ballot see our previous H4D post)
Talk to at least five other people in your network of influence and make sure they are voting
Vote BLUE! (Nationally, the Democratic Party has built a broad, anti-extremist, pro-democracy coalition that welcomes voters across race, place and party! If you vote Blue in 2024, you are voting country over party.)
Share this newsletter with others and help us grow this pro-democracy movement.
Joyfully and crazy for this democracy,
Debbie, Rachel, Kathy, Dona & Barbara
Notes:
Former First Lady Michelle Obama gave a historic speech in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Saturday, October 26. She implores us to keep fighting for our beloved democracy.