Here's the New Pledge of Allegiance I Think We All Should Take

What if we all took a new pledge?

For you. For me. For the people and for the country that deep down — in spite of its MAGA-heads, in spite of its insanity — we’ve decided to fight for its survival, holding onto a belief that we can make it better, that we can fix it, that we can end the madness and create a true Democracy for which it stands.

I’ve taken the liberty of writing one for us on this day:

"I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE
TO THE PEOPLE
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 
AND TO THE DEMOCRACY
FOR WHICH WE ALL STAND:

ONE PERSON, 
ONE VOTE,

ONE NATION,
PART OF ONE WORLD,

EVERYONE! 
A SEAT AT THE TABLE!
EVERYONE!
A SLICE OF THE PIE!

WITH LIBERTY 
AND JUSTICE,

EQUALITY
AND KINDNESS,

AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
FOR ALL."

I would love to speak these words each morning with all of you!

And then — WE ACT!

We do not have a minute to spare.

Think of it this way: You would not skip a day without brushing your teeth. You would not skip a day without eating a meal (or three). You do not skip a day without checking your email. You don’t skip a day without reading or watching some news or a True Crime special.

What if you were to put even just one small individual political action on that everyday “To-Do” list?

Each day, something.

Just one thing.

Our hearts do not go more than a second without creating a beat. Our lungs do not skip more than 3 seconds without taking a breath. Can we all, all of us, together, pledge to not skip a day right now without taking some simple sort of political action?

It’s easier than you think, my friends. Check out this video of average, everyday Kentuckians who last month all dressed up alike, printed some signs, and marched through Lexington effing Kentucky to warn people of the current fascist threat:

Amazing. I know, just another day in the Bluegrass State.

Let’s brainstorm a list! Send me yours in the comments below! (Comments are open to everyone today.) Here’s a few we can start with:

• Actions that take 30 seconds.

  Example: Write to any one of your elected representatives (Go here and follow the links) with your one sentence demand of the day: “You must VOTE NO on Trump’s Big Ugly Bill!”

• Actions that take one minute.

  Example: Call your member of Congress (Call the Capitol Switchboard and tell them your zip code and they will connect you: (202) 224-3121 or go to 5Calls.org ) and tell them something that you are for or against (for Medicaid, against the slaughter in Gaza, for abortion rights, against deporting 11 million people). It takes less than a minute. These calls matter mightily.

• Actions that take 3-5 minutes.

  Example: Sign up with a local organizing group to find ways to connect with people in your area. Do it now! Just Google “progressive groups near [insert town, state]” — or check these groups: SwingLeft | Indivisible | Choose Democracy. These are your allies in your community (you are not alone!) — and they’ve got lots of things going on. There’s no better time to join in than right now.

• Actions that take 5-10 minutes.

  Example: Create a handmade sign on a piece of cardboard that you will hold at your next big local march or rally (like the ones coming up nationwide on June 14th). Or call a friend or family member and get them to join the group you just joined. Or take a few minutes to decide which office you’re running for next year! (Take A Seat | Run For Something). Yes, you! Start small: Precinct Delegate. Library Board. PTA treasurer. Parish Council. Daisies co-leader. It’s all political. And it’s necessary that people like us see to it that our values are present and affecting and inspiring others.

How about it? Let’s start now!

One. Simple. Action.

Today. Tomorrow. Together.

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Photo: Hill Street Studios via Getty Images

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