December 26, 2018
Page 13
O PINION
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Movement Leaders Step Up to the Challenge
Politics in 2019
will have more
backbone
t raCey l. r ogers
As I reflect on the
controversies
that
plagued the Trump ad-
ministration through-
out 2018, the unfore-
seen political power
plays that shocked our
nation, and the party stalemates
that unfolded like a suspense
thriller between Democrats and
Republicans, I must admit that
I’m sitting on the edge of my
seat waiting for the finale.
Donald Trump will undoubt-
edly face more scrutiny — and
maybe even impeachment — as
the Mueller investigation deliv-
ers blow after blow.
Meanwhile, as a Democrat-
ic-led House of Representatives
prepares for its first day on the
job, the Dems seem ready to
rumble — made evident in the
testy recent exchange between
Senate
Democratic
Leader
Chuck Schumer, Democratic
Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi, and
President Trump in the Oval Of-
by
fice.
I must admit that this all
makes me a little giddy.
A standoff akin to when Luke
Skywalker finally fac-
es off with Darth Vader
in the Star Wars saga
would be the perfect end
to what often feels like a
reality TV show. Except
this is America.
The slogan for Nike’s
ad campaign featuring
Colin Kaepernick pretty
much sums up what I expect in
the new year: Believe in some-
thing, even if it means sacrific-
ing everything. We must start
believing and participating in
a true democracy, and directly
confront everything that under-
mines it.
Politics must come with a
backbone in 2019. No more Mr./
Ms. Nice Liberal; the gloves are
off. The people have spoken. We
don’t want “change” — we want
a revolution.
Democracy in its current iter-
ation can no longer sustain us —
that’s why Trump was elected in
the first place. It’s time for pro-
gressives to match the audacity
of conservatives, but with great-
er humanity as an end goal in-
stead of power and greed.
We’re at a crossroads. As
stakeholders in society, we can
either continue to labor through
the birthing pains of a more just
and equitable nation, or continue
down a rabbit hole that leads to
God only knows where.
I’m personally ready for a dif-
ferent experience, even if uncer-
tainty looms.
Subpoenas
for
Donald
Trump’s tax returns will most
likely be issued, among other
challenges to the administration.
But I’m especially excited by a
new wave of elected activists
challenging the Democratic Par-
ty from within.
For
instance,
Represen-
tatives-elect Rashida Tlaib,
D-Mich. and Ilhan Omar,
D-Minn. have unapologetically
voiced support of the boycott,
divestment and sanctions cam-
paign against the state of Israel
for its use of U.S. tax dollars to
occupy the Palestinian Territo-
ries. That’s an open challenge to
the party leadership.
Other activists are pushing
for a Green New Deal, champi-
oned by Rep.-elect Alexandria
Ocasio-Cortez, to fight climate
change and create jobs.
Such challenges even have
Nancy Pelosi negotiating term
limits to keep her role as House
Speaker. That’s a good thing.
Just as modern-day activists
chant, “This Ain’t Your Mama’s
Civil Rights Movement,” the
same mantra could be applied to
the 116th Congress. Bold poli-
cies, direct actions, and a new
guard will take center stage, and
it’s about time.
Conservatives have made
it clear they’re in it to win it.
Lame-duck stunts like Wis-
consin Republicans stripping
elected Democrats of their abil-
ity to govern, and an earlier Os-
car-worthy performance by Re-
publican Sen. Lindsay Graham
championing the appointment
of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S.
Supreme Court, are examples of
how far conservatives will go.
As former First Lady Michelle
Obama said, “When they go low,
we go high.” But if there’s any
hope of us restoring our values,
“going high” doesn’t mean you
don’t fight back. So, let’s get
ready to rumble!
Tracey L. Rogers is an entre-
preneur and activist living in the
Washington, D.C. area. Distrib-
uted by OtherWords.org.
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