Shit is real. Get out the damn vote.

In case you didn’t take the situation seriously enough after Nazis celebrated their public reemergence in Charlottesville, this synagogue shooting should hit home.

And no, Jewish vote, Trump hasn’t been good for Israel. My family in the Negev are under fire-rockets, and actual burning fire from Gaza. The situation has worsened. So, that argument is dead.

In appointing a proven perjurer and abuser to the highest court of our great democracy, Republicans have shown you that they are not beholden to the law, or procedure. This won’t stop with just rapists and liars- it extends to allowing gun access to known domestic abusers and racist/anti-Semitic extremists, and beyond. Republicans do not care about Jewish lives, or any others aside from their own.

Trump’s “both sides” rhetoric and constant defaming and devaluing of non-white folks, from Obama birtherism, to Elizabeth Warren’s Native roots, to Puerto Rican lives, is killing people. White Jews benefit from white privilege in this world- as we “pass” as white Christians in the street- but when it comes to white supremacist hate crimes, we will are hunted right in line with people of color and trans folks. So it’s past time we stand with them.

Control has to be taken back, and checks and balances restored. Without a Democrat-controlled House, we are looking at many of our fellow Americans losing their rights and their lives.

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller (author of the famous poem above) knew that evil was at the wheel in Nazi Germany. Replace “socialist” and “trade unionist” with immigrants and trans folks- and there you have it, 2018. The Handmaid’s Tale’s moral, false-truth apocalypse actually seems totally feasible when you watch Trump and his supporters like Lindsey Graham and others. I am not built for that kind of life, so I will go out fighting. Will you?

On and before November 6th, we have a chance to turn this around. Each of us can take steps to get out the vote for Dems this midterm election. It’s not glamorous work, but you will feel good about it and I give you permission to brag about it on Facebook and Instagram.

You can volunteer to knock on doors to get out the vote. Just put your email and zip code in at swing left to play. They also have webinars and videos to get you trained up, at home, in minimal time.

If you are shy and don’t like to leave the house, no shade, you can phone bank from home. It is so easy. Just go here, pick a swing candidate, click through, sign in and follow the script and instructions. Don’t get discouraged, keep going. Every call helps the campaigns narrow down their best potential voters and target them, make sure they get to the polls. Again, instructional webinars and videos at swingleft.org

Call your parents, grandparents, cousins and friends. Send mass texts. Make a personal, emotional plea for voting. Go to sleep on November 6th knowing you did what you could to take back the House and the USA.