First of all, I’m no authority on race and politics in America, and I don’t have all the answers – I’m just a 24-year-old black man whose adolescent years have been mired and shaped simultaneously by seeing news reports of the unjust deaths of people who look like me.
And I’m as mad about it as you are.
Last weekend’s protests spurred extra thinking about how to fix the problem, and I still uncovered more questions than answers. But every time I hit the wall and force myself to look away from social media and news reports, I came back to the same answer for the, “How do we fix this?” question we’re all asking right now.
“Change” is being demanded in a multitude of attention-grabbing ways, but the word itself is a scary, blanket term. As humans, we’re biologically hardwired to kick against the very idea of change. It’s no one’s fault – it’s just who we are.
Because of this, I think it’s fair to think of social change like patching a quilt. Patches cover unsightly spots, but they’re still subtle reminders of where they once were. Patches allow us to remember our past, but also move forward with a new face and renewed ideals for the future. But if you ask any great seamstress, it takes time combined with precise, calculated action to patch a quilt.
Our system of American democracy is just like that quilt, and the precise, calculated action of patching begins in our voting booths.
But it does not and cannot end there if we want to patch our quilt correctly.
Voting is just the beginning of our democratic process. Real democracy isn’t just pressing some buttons on a machine and leaving your polling location with a sticker and a chest full of pride because we’ve “done our civic duty.”
Real democracy requires understanding the issues facing communities – income inequality, drug abuse, poverty and unjust policing practices are just a few – and working with elected officials to fix them.
Yes, many of these issues are complex and even mundane. But it’s vital to take time to learn about them by consuming reputable local sources. And when you don’t understand, email the local editor or journalist and ask for clarification. They’ll answer, because they’re a part of the community, too and want to see positive change happen.
Real democracy demands holding elected officials’ feet to the fire to come through on promises they so boldly proclaimed on the campaign trails.
It’s your elected officials’ job to serve you, the people. If they refuse to hear you, then it’s your duty to vote them out in favor of someone who will.
Real democracy doesn’t begin in the White House either; it starts in local city halls, police precincts, county commissions and other local government offices.
It’s hard to get a phone call with the president to address policing practices; but your sheriff will pick up his phone to discuss these things in your neighborhood because he’s part of your community. The same goes for city council members, county commissioners and state representatives; they’ll respond, because they’re part of your community too, and they understand it’s their job to hear the people and do what’s best for the community.
So make phone calls, send emails, sign petitions, write letters, request meetings and protest peacefully to hold elected officials accountable. But whatever you do, don’t forget to do two things – be persistent and be unified.
My mom always says, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” and American democracy always seems to reward the wheels who squeak loudly and together.
Frankly, I don’t know if this is the right answer, but I hope it’s a place to begin discussing how to move forward. The ballot box is the long-suffering route, and there will most likely be more days that feel they end in defeat rather than victory. But that’s the price to bring real, lasting change.
With the June 9 election, I do encourage you to vote. But don’t let that be the end of your democratic participation until the next election. Let it be the first stitch, the first deliberate, calculated action, in patching the quilt and starting the process to bring the change you want to see.
Isaiah Smith is a staff writer for The Northeast Georgian. He can be reached at 706-778-4215 or ismith@TheNortheast-Georgian.com.