I woke up this morning with butterflies in my stomach. Not because it’s November 1 and the official start of nesting season (my fave). Not because I will enter the final year of my 30’s next week (eek!). Not even because the holidays will be here in blink. I feel anxiously excited this morning because in six days we have the opportunity to make major changes in our country.
While I know most don’t come here for politics – though I’ve touched on it here more than a time or two – I cannot have a platform such as this and not say something. For those less interested, there’s a beaut of a home tour in today’s images if you continue to scroll. I’m sure you’ll appreciate the pretty. And I hope you might appreciate my perspective too.
While I’m confident you, dear readers, are from many different backgrounds and embrace different faiths, varied belief systems and even values, I think we can all agree on one thing – the discourse coming from the very pinnacles of power in America is an embarrasment. It is disgraceful. It is not the world I want to raise my son in. And it must stop. The amazing thing about it all? We have the power to stop it.
Voting on November 6 is the ONLY way to show elected officials that we reject fear. We rejrect bigotry. We reject anitsemitism. We reject racism. We reject predjuidice of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.
My grandmother left Europe in the late 1930’s to escape Nazis. My parents lived through the divison, assinations and amazing hope and change that was the 1960s. I never thought that we would retreat back and suffer humanity’s ills in similar ways in my lifetime. I never thought that the growth and progress would be yanked backwards. I never thought I’d be brought to my knees in sadness and disgust as babies are ripped from parents at the border, as worshippers are gunned down in their synagoge abd as a couple is shot while grocery shopping, simply because the shooter didn’t like the color of their skin. In 2018.
But here we are.
ENOUGH.
This is isn’t a reality show. This isn’t a game. This isn’t entertainment.
My son is now three. I can only shield him from the disgraceful chaos for so long. And we brought this on ourselves.
But we can change it.
There is one way to push back. To stem the tide. To create a balance of power. To shove the hate, intolerance and bigotry back to the dark cave from whence it came.
I am asking you to vote.
Vote today if you can. VOTE ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 6 because we must.
Vote with your heart. Vote with your concious. Vote because our children deserve to have us be responsible stewards of their future. Vote because we’re lucky enough to have institutions that hold our government accountable. So many other nations do not.
This weekend I plan to be knocking on doors of my fellow citizens, asking them to pledge to vote Tuesday. Have you ever done it? It’s a bit nervewracking yes, but also really fun. Especially when you’re excerisizing your responsibility as a citizen and doing something you truly believe in. If you have a couple of spare hours this weekend I highly recommend you try it. You can find out how to knock on doors right here.
No time? Then simply talk to your friends. Text your sister. Chat with your coworkers. This isn’t the time to pretend politics doesn’t exist. This is the time to ask everyone and anyone if they plan to vote. Ask for details. Where will you go? What time? Offer to give them a ride. Go as a group. Make an outing out of it. Take your kids so they see what voting is like. I still remember going to the high school gym to vote with my mom. I think it’s why I care so much about voting to this day.
Thousands upon thousands of people have died to give Americans the rights we most often take advantage of – and many Americans still do not enjoy – today.
Vote to honor their memory.
Vote to honor yourself.
Come November 7, then we can nest.
HERE ARE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU VOTE:
Don’t take my advice on why you should vote, take Oprah’s.
Need help figuring out who is running for office where you vote? CLICK HERE.
Do you think we’d be in this position if women ran the world? Me neither. Check out this article to learn about all the amazing women – many who have never held office before – running to represenst you right now. Maybe you can vote for one!
One good vote deserves another. Learn how to help get your friends and neighbors to the polls on November 6 RIGHT HERE.
To go back to fall nesting inspiration, CLICK HERE.
home designed by kate davison / photography for dwell by leslie santarina / styling by rosy fridman / additional images via the everygirl
Thank you! I am sick and tired of the last two years. I can’t wait to vote on Tuesday!
Sending in my ballot never felt so good
❤️
Thank you. We cannot pretend like what’s happening around us is acceptable. This year, more than ever, our values are on the line. If we don’t vote, we are complicit.
Good for you! Thanks for speaking.
The discourse coming from the pinnacles of power is disturbing. It is disturbing to hear high-ranking members of Congress encourage their constituents to follow those who have different opinions wherever they go and harass them. It is discouraging to have journalists no longer report the news but stoop to tell their listeners what party to vote for. It is discouraging to hear young people only want to yell, march and denounce but who lack the knowledge or facts to even articulate the actual policies that make them angry or ability to employ respectful, healthy debate on the issues and stop attacking the personalities. I encourage all voters to get past the rhetoric and decide that the economic freedoms in this country are worth preserving. Study history—-ours and world history. Honestly ask yourself what has worked and why. Seek to protect the system that gives you the freedom to start a business, keep enough of your own money to prosper with hard work, protest your own leaders and vote new ones in or out. Refuse to give in to identity politics with its “divide and conquer mentality” (a sheet right out of Karl Marx’s playbook). Americans caring about America and all other Americans will keep us strong,
Hi Felicia. Long-time journalist here to offer a quick explainer that I think confuses many readers. Major reputable news outlets like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CBS, etc., have two divisions inside their offices. One is the Opinion section, which does exactly what it sounds like—they offer opinions on timely happenings. Most Opinion writers have worked in journalism for many, many years, so they come to their opinions with a huge amount of knowledge. Of course, they have different political bents, and their op-eds show that. The other section is the News section. Reporters who work in the News section work from a basis of facts, usually built up by years or even decades building sources and getting to know their fields. They don’t share their political opinions–in fact, some even refuse to vote on Election Day because they believe they should be fair and balanced in all they do. And the divisions don’t work together in producing articles. In fact, they answer to entirely different bosses and have different chains of command.
In other words, it’s to be expected that a ton of journalists share their opinions–that’s their job! And it’s been that way for many, many decades. This isn’t a new trend. So when you see someone offering their opinion on cable TV and their bio says they work for the New York Times or Washington Post, they’re opinion writers. They exist to offer context and nuance and understanding for what lies behind the news.
Felicia – Young people are doing a lot more than yelling. I encourage you to check out the March For our Lives movement started by the survivors of the Marjorie Stone school shooting. The have actionable items and policy information to educate their peers (and adults!)
https://marchforourlives.com/policy/
Divide and conquer is exactly the message the President has been sending with his attacks on immigrants, the media, and people who don’t support him ( leading chants of “Lock Her Up” is about as un-democratic as it gets.) I am business owner and a huge proponent of capitalism, but there is more to a democracy and our country than the free market. Void of values, equality, compassion, decency, and opportunity, we are broken. I for one and ready for change.
So agree. Lets us continue to make America great again. Am praying and Voting. Hope and pray and vote. And respect our fellow Americans —- our Soldiers fought for the Freedoms we so enjoy. Our Children need us to Vote and show the examples of mature Adults.
C – i can only hope people vote to uplift an America that is great when it is hopeful, when it is welcoming, when it is tolerant, when it takes care of the poor, when it educates everyone, when it discriminates against no one and it when it lives up to the ideals upon which this great country was founded, instead of pandering to the worst aspects of humanity. I know that America still exists and I am confident those who share these incredibly important values will be responsible adults and vote in true leaders.