It’s Election Day.
I’m a big classic rock fan, so this morning as I observed the wind continuing to blow on this beautiful, cold morning, I thought of the Scorpions song Wind of Change and its origins as a symbol of progress.
America stands at the precipice of change. We have endured four years of a president who has brought incompetence, nepotism, cruelty, racism, misogyny, bigotry, and failure to the White House, alienating both the American people and our foreign allies. 2020 became a defining moment as the COVID-19 pandemic and an intensified focus on racial justice epitomized everything that is wrong with the Trump presidency and the GOP.
At the local level, change is also imminent. Our Howard County youth and young adults have found their voice as they embody the change they want to see in the world. The unprecedented March for Black Lives organized by the youth-led HoCo For Justice, the election of a progressive Student Member of the Board of Education, the poignant student testimony in support of an equity policy in the public school system, and the increased willingness of students to share their experiences of racism and the impact of police officers in our schools are all evidence that we are at a turning point. Our youth are leading us toward change.
As you turn out to vote today, you have a choice to resist change or to support it at all levels of government. Help us elect a president who will choose compassion and common sense over cruelty and cons. Help us elect a Congressman who will fulfill the legacy of Elijah Cummings over a GOP grifter. Help us elect judges who will bring valuable public defender experience, giving a voice to the voiceless, over inexperienced political appointees. Help us elect Board of Education members who will fight for equity and anti-racism over protecting property values.
The wind of change is blowing. Get out there and vote, Howard County.