The sight at the Minnesota State Capitol on Saturday, April 5, was impressive: 25,000 people gathered peacefully from the Capitol steps, down the Upper Mall, across Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., past the war memorials. The crowd size, estimated by the Minnesota State Patrol, shocked even the organizers.
Twenty-five thousand people showed up to exercise their democratic right of free speech.
They weren’t alone. In Alexandria, 750 showed up. Duluth, 2,000; St. Peter, 2,000; 1,000 in Rochester; 300-plus in Grand Marais.
This editorial isn’t a victory dance for anti-Trumpers. It’s a reminder to all of us that democracy works when people show up.
People who showed up for the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773, sent a clear message to King George III — no taxation without representation. Through the efforts of those who showed up at the meetings of the Continental Congress from 1774-1781, 13 British colonies united, overthrew British rule and ultimately, founded the United States.
Showing up for democracy can take many forms.
It starts at the smallest levels — PTA meetings, church councils, volunteer organizations. When people show up and work together, things get done. Funds are raised, litter disappears from neighborhood parks, houses get a much-needed coat of paint.
Democracy works when you show up at neighborhood association meetings and express your opinions, elect leaders and work with others to make your little corner of the world just a little bit better.
Showing up for democracy means representing your country. Some do it by joining the armed forces. Where would the United States be today if Abraham Lincoln’s call to preserve the union had gone unanswered?
Others represent by serving in the Peace Corps. Since 1961, more than 240,000 volunteers have worked in 60 countries, teaching people how to read, helping farmers improve food security, providing public health education.
Showing up for democracy means showing up for precinct caucuses. It’s your first chance to back a political candidate whose thinking mirrors your own. It’s a chance, if you so choose, to run for office yourself.
Showing up for democracy means showing up for town hall meetings. If you’re a voter, you need to keep up to date on the latest proposals at city hall or the legislature. If you’re an elected official, you need to be ready to answer to the people who elected you. If the questions they ask are difficult to answer, answer them anyway. Be honest; don’t dodge or deflect. Meet your constituents in person. You show a lack of respect for them when you stay away. Don’t hide behind a computer screen.
Showing up for democracy means participating in elections, primary and general. Too many Americans stay away from the polls on Election Day. People in other countries would love to have the right to vote, yet we take it for granted, just as we take freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of the press for granted. These are rights guaranteed to us by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Don’t waste them by not showing up!
Showing up for democracy isn’t limited to one party or another. It’s a right and a duty for all Americans.
In August, candidates will officially file with the Minnesota Secretary of State for the General Election on Nov. 11. In Minneapolis, the entire city council and the mayor are up for re-election. In St. Anthony, two city council seats will be on the ballot.
Make sure you show up for democracy on Election Day.