Written two years ago today, and never more relevant. cc: @soledadobrien

Your anger is justified.
Your fear is justified.
Disappointment, frustration, the whole gamut of emotions: justified.

Now what?

Study the American Civil Rights Movement.

The leaders of the Civil Rights Movement did not have hope; they had no reason to believe things would ever be different.

They didn't have precedent: they were fighting against the way things were and always had been.

They couldn't vote their representatives out: they were fighting for the RIGHT to vote.

All they had was steely resolve: the will to sacrifice themselves and bend the moral arc of the universe towards justice. They put their lives in jeopardy.

They lost friends, jobs. They were hung from trees, had churches with children blown up, their leaders were harassed by the FBI and eventually assassinated.

In the face of all that we got the Voting Rights Act.

VOTE IN NUMBERS TOO LARGE TO IGNORE, but what if that fails you too?

Do you give up?
Do you roll over and just accept your fate?

Hope is a luxury.
Voting is a privilege.
The fight isn't over UNTIL YOU'VE WON.
Dig in, steel your resolve, get ready.

Shit is JUST STARTING to get real.
And if you don't have a black friend, MAKE ONE.
Better yet ELECT one.

We BEEN out here fighting. Welcome to the party! cc: @ambermruffin