If not you ... who?
I spent a lot of my life thinking politics didn’t matter. No one in politics came to save me when I was a kid, and as an adult, I spent a career in law enforcement where I saw politics mattering over the lives we were trying to repair.
There were many factors that spurred this run, not the least of whom is my brilliant campaign manager, Debbie Hall, who walked into my office one day, put down the filing information, and said “If not you, who?” She was tired of my rants against the racist, anti-semitic, anti-Muslim, anti-life platform coming from this administration and yes, they are in fact against the very basic truths of life. This administration and the current GOP fight against the science that proves climate change, make it harder for children to thrive, silence victims of sexual harassment and assault, support the militarization of police, want to gut the programs that keep our seniors from poverty and allow for those among us who are left behind by our system to get medical care.
And that question became the basis for our campaign. If not you? Who? Who is going to rise up and ask the important questions? Who is going to gather your friends together for real conversations? Who is going to organize in your community? Who is going to run for office?
If not you, who?
Every politician says that it isn’t about them, it’s about the people, the ideals. And guess what, we mean it. We mean it. And sometimes there are compromises and sometimes there are questions, but we can never compromise on the values that bring us forward, that make us stand taller.
If not you, who?
I am taking that question with me to Washington. Because if I won’t stand up for our values, who will? But I challenge you to look around, to say “If not me, who?” because we need each and every one of you to keep working, to keep striving, to keep me in check. Tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow, we hit the ground running. We’ve got a long way to go.
There were many factors that spurred this run, not the least of whom is my brilliant campaign manager, Debbie Hall, who walked into my office one day, put down the filing information, and said “If not you, who?” She was tired of my rants against the racist, anti-semitic, anti-Muslim, anti-life platform coming from this administration and yes, they are in fact against the very basic truths of life. This administration and the current GOP fight against the science that proves climate change, make it harder for children to thrive, silence victims of sexual harassment and assault, support the militarization of police, want to gut the programs that keep our seniors from poverty and allow for those among us who are left behind by our system to get medical care.
And that question became the basis for our campaign. If not you? Who? Who is going to rise up and ask the important questions? Who is going to gather your friends together for real conversations? Who is going to organize in your community? Who is going to run for office?
If not you, who?
Every politician says that it isn’t about them, it’s about the people, the ideals. And guess what, we mean it. We mean it. And sometimes there are compromises and sometimes there are questions, but we can never compromise on the values that bring us forward, that make us stand taller.
If not you, who?
I am taking that question with me to Washington. Because if I won’t stand up for our values, who will? But I challenge you to look around, to say “If not me, who?” because we need each and every one of you to keep working, to keep striving, to keep me in check. Tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow, we hit the ground running. We’ve got a long way to go.