ON DEMOCRACY AND VOICE
ON DEMOCRACY AND VOICE
Democracy is based on compromise, with duly elected executive and congressional representatives debating and then reaching mutually acceptable decisions on behalf of its citizens that permit peaceful civil governance. It is not a perfect system; it is just better than the alternatives. But democracy is not the purview of representatives; they are simply a conduit of the will of its citizens. And democracy is not an inert institution; it is a living process. Citizen voice and action are its bloodstream. For democracy to persist, citizens must not only enjoy its rights and liberties, they must continually renew and reassert them. Failure to do so is to diminish the sacrifices that others before us have made and to decline to expand the benefits of democracy on behalf of the next generation.
In times of deep division, such as the one we currently face, when democracy itself is on life support, it is imperative that all voices be heard. It is more important that every citizen Do Something than what contribution to addressing the issues before us we choose to make. Far-reaching decisions are currently being made; Do Something Now. Here are some accessible choices.
**Write or call your congressional representative or senator
Find Your Representative
Not sure of your congressional district or who your member is? This service will assist you by matching your ZIP code to your congressional district, with links to your member's website and contact page. https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Both postal address and phone contact number are provided.
Here is one source suggesting the most effective form of communication. It probably is useful for both letter and phone contact. https://vop.org/
The process for contacting a senator is similar. This site provides instructions that include both addresses and phone numbers. https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Most elected officials also maintain personal websites with contact information. Just enter their name in a search engine.
** Contact your state government officials
Another way of making your voice heard is through sharing your views with your state’s governor, attorney general, and secretary of state. These officials command state resources and have state constitutional authority, and so they have the independent capacity to impact national-level decision making. State-level contact processes vary, but in general you can follow the procedure for contacting national representatives.
** Make yourself visible
You can get postcards, bumper stickers, and yard signs here
https://www.signsofjustice.com/products/contact-congress-postcards?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7KX_lurDjAMVK1lHAR3rKixFEAAYASAAEgJBU_D_BwE&variant=50850720153903
**Call, call, call
One way to underline the urgency of the moment is by regularly engaging in contact your state’s legislative representatives. You can take easily accomplish this with the iPhone app 5 Calls. It is a downloadable app that allows users to simply enter their zip code, select from a menu of fifty issues, and click to automatically send a message of concern to your legislative representatives. There is also a newsletter to which you can subscribe that updates issues. You can download the app from the Apple Store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/5-calls-contact-your-congress/id1202558609
**Participate in a town hall
Elected representatives often participate in town hall meetings, which are reasonably local, where Q&A and other forms of exchange take place. Finding those events is not as straightforward as getting mail and phone contact information. Representatives may list upcoming town halls on their websites, Facebook pages, or in newsletters, and they may be published through local media outlets. One central site that keeps an updated record on town halls is Indivisible. https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/?terms=town%20hall and https://indivisible.org/town-hall-resources
**Participate in a protest movement
One active protest movement is Hands Off, a coalition of civil rights, veterans, feminist, labor, and other activist groups. Primary agendas for Hands Off include blocking aggressive actions by the current presidential administration to pare or eliminate a wide array of governmental organizations and programs, resist oligarchic dominance in government, and offer due process and protection to immigrants. Upcoming movement events are available on its website. https://www.mobilize.us/handsoff/
Another active protest movement is 50501 (50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement). The movement coordinates a series of nationwide protest events. Most recently the movement hosted a protest event in Washington, DC on April 5, 2025. Future events are listed on the movement website. https://www.fiftyfifty.one/