Yesterday, my spouse and I took a short road trip. At one point, there was a traffic back-up due to construction. As we slowly crawled along, I noticed a big rig with a small sticker on the back window that read “We the people are pissed.” It caught my eye and got me thinking. Why are they pissed? Are they pissed about the same things that bother me? What do we have in common? How can we talk about those things – and maybe even disagree – without becoming disagreeable? Will we continue to listen to each other, even if we do disagree?
There are many things that light me on fire and propel me to take action. I wonder if the trucker shares my concerns, or maybe his concerns are different. My concerns inspired me to join The Union. I like that The Union Action Center connects me with a wide variety ways to take action and make a difference in the areas that matter most to me.
Preserving our democracy by voting for pro-democracy candidates is a priority for me. I do not have all the answers, but I find myself reflecting on the wonderful Community Conversations Townhall held by The Union recently. The online “Townhall” helped me understand that there is real value in bringing people together to have respectful conversations, even when we don’t agree about everything. I commit to hosting one of these gatherings in my own community because my concerns inspire me to actively listen to those who hold different opinions. Maybe the values we have in common can be leveraged to make life better for all of us.
It is my hope that representatives at all levels will enact legislation that makes life better for people in this country, and I plan to do my part to help make that happen. I hope that you will join me.
Editor’s Note: The Union invites all to a Zoom call where we’ll present practical ways to set up a community event in your neighborhood. The next presentation will be held on July 25, 2024 at 8pm ET / 5 pm PT. Please register here and plan to join us!
Post submitted by Leslie Button, a volunteer with The Union
Note: The views and opinions expressed by volunteer contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of The Union, a single-issue organization that welcomes all and is dedicated to protecting democracy.
If you’d like to help defend democracy in the US, we invite you to join The Union.