The news that Congressman John Lewis, my hero and friend, had passed away on Friday at the age of 80 literally knocked me to my knees ... Perhaps it’s the deadly pandemic endlessly stalking, taunting and trapping us. Or, it could be the deepening sense of national and personal dread created by a president with too much power and no conscience, unconstrained by politicians with too few principles and no courage. Or, more likely, it’s all of this and more. It’s just too much, I thought. Too much.
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I will remember John Lewis for his humanity. I will remember his tenacity and refusal to give up, even when carrying on surely felt like just too much. I will remember he showed us that the way to a brighter future is not with bellicose promises to "make America great again," but with quiet determination to help our nation to do better
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[Now] we must get up, just like John Lewis did, and keep getting into good trouble. We must get in the way of oppression and police brutality. Persist in our fight against voter suppression and for full voting rights. Insist that minorities, women, immigrants, the poor, and the disabled be treated with dignity and respect and equality. We can honor John Lewis by voting in November and in every election. And we need to keep making noise, loud and strong enough for our political leaders to hear us until they have no choice but to act. Tell them it’s not enough to simply say nice things about John Lewis on Twitter for a day and then turn their backs on everything he stood for once the flags return to full staff.
First and foremost, call your senators and demand they support full restoration of the Voting Rights Act as John Lewis called for to his dying breath by passing the Voting Rights Advancement Act, which was approved by the House but has been sitting on Mitch McConnell’s desk for more than eight months. (And, while they’re at it, they can rename the bill for him, too.)
Today, we mourn the loss of this remarkable man who gave his all to the very end. But beginning tomorrow, let us stand up and answer John Lewis' call to persist, insist, make a little noise, and get into the best kind of trouble.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/2020/07/20/opinion-honor-john-lewis-getting-into-good-trouble/5468151002/
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