"The vote is the most powerful nonviolent change agent you have in a democratic society. You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it." ― John Lewis
The above quotation is excerpted from “Together, You can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation” by John Lewis, published in the New York Times on July 30, 2020, the day of his funeral.
In my state of Washington, we vote in the primary election for state and federal offices just five days from now. With the rest of the country, we’ll vote in the general election in a little under 100 days. John Lewis’s inspiring words on the promise and meaning of our country both challenge me and give me hope.
"Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build what we called the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself." ― John Lewis
For the complete text: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/opinion/john-lewis-civil-rights-america.html
― Margaret D. McGee
In the Courtyard 
If we truly wanted a democracy, wouldn’t we make it EASIER for people to vote? Thank you for posting this important message.
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You’d think.
You’d think all citizens would be automatically registered to vote when they reach voting age.
You’d think voting day would be a national holiday, so that people wouldn’t have to miss work to vote. Or at least be held over a 2-3 day period, including a weekend.
You’d think the provision of sufficient polling places to serve all citizens equally would be mandated by law.
You’d think, during a pandemic, that vote by mail would be a given, and that all states and counties would be working furiously right now to set it up so it works. You’d think that would have been an executive order from the White House by now, for the good of the country.
I’m getting seriously annoyed that voting rights, and convenience, are more and more partisan issues in the U.S.
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Amen Margaret. God help us if we don’t. Tom
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Amen Amen.
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