With Inauguration Day approaching, we, the Marlborough Democratic Committee, join millions across our country in congratulating President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris on their historic electoral victory. We would also like to congratulate Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock on their decisive wins in Georgia, Mark Kelly on his win in Arizona and John Hickenlooper on his win in Colorado. Along with Vice President-Elect Harris, they have given Democrats a majority in the Senate for the first time in a long time. These victories were made possible by the tireless work of everyday Americans, some right here in our own community, who chose to believe that a more noble brand of politics was not only possible but in high demand. It took unrelenting optimism and a powerful network of grassroots organizing to believe in and work towards our vision, especially in the face of violent rhetoric and conspiracy theories that have disappointingly become a staple of our national politics over the past four years.
This unrelenting optimism is what drove us to give up our free-time after a long workday to write postcards to voters across the country. It’s what drove us to give up our weekends in order to call voters and make sure they had a plan to vote. It’s what drove many of us to brave the pandemic and serve as poll workers, facilitating a free and fair election during some of the most trying times in our nation’s history. This unrelenting optimism, this belief that no matter how bad things get, a group of dedicated and patriotic Americans can come together and make things better, has time and again saved our country and will be needed to save our democracy from the insurrection attempts that we are currently witnessing.
Though January 6th, 2021 will be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of our democracy, we must keep the faith. Despite the thousands of violent extremists still seeking to subvert our democratic processes in support of Donald Trump, we must keep the faith. Although it may feel like the divide between those on the left and those on the right continues to grow, we must keep the faith. By holding on to the same unrelenting optimism that propelled Democrats to electoral victories across our country, we can stay true to our vision of a more noble brand of politics and we can bridge the divides that are causing schisms in too many communities and too many families.
However, our faith and optimism cannot be blind.We undeniably witnessed a violent coup attempt in our own country— something unimaginable only a few years ago. We watched for months as the President and some of his closest allies lied to the American people about the election and angered a mob to the point of insurrection. This administration is responsible for inciting attempts to harm members of Congress and for inciting the savage violence that led to the hospitalization of 56 police officers and the death of at least one officer. If such actions do not have consequences, we are doomed to see them repeated. That is why we as Democrats and as Americans support the second impeachment of Donald Trump, despite the fact that his term will soon come to an end. We applaud the bravery of Republican members of Congress who denounced the President’s incitement of domestic terrorism and pushed back on his false claims about the election. We are heartened to see that some Republicans have chosen accountability over politics and country over party. In holding the perpetrators of this terrible series of events accountable, perhaps we can find some common ground, based around the protection of our democracy.
We also want to take this moment to salute the hundreds of Capitol Police officers who put themselves in harm’s way to secure people and property, especially Officers Brian Sicknick and Eugene Goodman. Officer Sicknick made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country and we send our heartfelt condolences to his family. Officer Goodman directed an angry mob away from the Senate chambers at his own peril. His heroism on such a dark day will never be forgotten. We also give thanks to the quick-thinking Staff Aides who saved the state-certified electoral vote documents moments before the Congress was breached. Closer to home, we thank the members of the New York Army National Guard, many of whom are currently putting their lives between violent insurrectionists and the foundations of our democracy. These patriots, some from our own community, have left their families and comforts to put on the uniform of our country and defend these United States in their time of need. By serving our country with such honor and dignity, these fine troops provide us a roadmap as to how we can move forward, together, as a nation. We think about our soldiers every day and pray for their safe return home.
Now is a time that we ought to ask how we can serve our country, rather than ask how our country can serve us. It is a time to put our neighbors’ needs before our own. It is a time to hold ourselves and our neighbors accountable for the pain we’ve inflicted upon each other. Now is a time for healing, and now is a time for change.
— Jake Marro, Chairperson of the Marlborough Democratic Committee
Photo credits: Capitol Building: ©Graham V Photo; Two people with flag: ©Miki Jourdan
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