Democrats,
Like you, I was sickened by the siege that unfolded across my TV and social media screens on Wednesday. To prevent the peaceful transfer of power, Donald Trump incited those thugs to riot and storm the Capitol Building. For that, the president should be removed from office immediately and those who desecrated the Capitol, and terrorized lawmakers and staff should be prosecuted. The five lives lost during that reckless insurgence are on Donald Trump’s hands.
But I refuse to let those despicable and undemocratic acts overshadow the truly historic events that occurred this week. On Tuesday and Wednesday, both races for Senate in GA were called for Democrats: Rev Raphael Warnock & Jon Ossoff. This is big news, and we deserve the right to pat ourselves on the back! For months, we made phone calls, contributed money, and wrote postcards, all to get that victory in Georgia.
We need to celebrate Rev Warnock’s election, making him the first African-American senator from Georgia. We need to celebrate Jon Ossoff’s election, who at age 33 will be the first Millennial to hold a seat in the Senate, and the first Jewish senator elected in the South since the 1800’s. We need to celebrate the heavy turn out by Georgia’s Black voters, who made those wins possible. And we need to celebrate the leadership of Black women in Georgia, like Stacey Abrams who led the strategizing and organizing efforts that made those victories a reality.
Want more reason to celebrate? In spite of the lies of rampant voter fraud spewed by people like Donald Trump, and Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley, the certification of the votes is a done deal! Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are officially our president and vice president elect.
We the people – Democrats – deserve this week’s headlines, not Trump’s hideous insurrectionists. I get it that we must continue to hold Trump accountable for his false and inflammatory rhetoric and his undemocratic acts. I understand the need for seriousness in the face of lost lives. But the democratic election of Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff are deserving of celebration. We need to take a moment from this difficult week, and savor the sweet success of our hard work. We deserve it.
Kristin
Kristin Washington Chair, San Bernardino County Democratic Party