Two years ago today, we all witnessed the insurrection attempt at the Capitol, as anti-democracy forces attempted to circumvent the will of the people and take over the U.S. government.  It is a day none of us will forget. As we set out to watch the wheels of democracy turn, we instead were met with violence, hatred, and a disinformation-fueled attempt to overthrow the election.  This was not how we imagined the next chapter of American history beginning.  And still, it was.

On that day, democracy won. The election was certified and power transferred to the lawfully elected President and Vice President.  But democracy is not guaranteed. And this chapter of American history, whose story started in violence, disinformation-fueled outrage, and divisiveness, continues to be written. Together, we are fighting for our democracy and the people in it every single day. Last month, we asked you to help protect progress. And you did. This month, we remember January 6, 2020 and take a moment to acknowledge how fragile that progress is and why we do the work we all do.

The fight to defend our democracy is not over. Right now, we are watching as the House of Representatives cannot elect a Speaker, because of the ingrained divisiveness, and the love of power over progress.  We are seeing what happens when those we elect fail to put the people and our democracy at the heart of our government.

Democracy is not guaranteed. And this is why the League, our mission, and the work we do matters so much. Each of you, in your own ways, makes our democracy work.  Whether you are registering voters, educating them, driving equity-based policy change, holding your local officials accountable – you are making democracy work.  And as long as we remember that we are all needed to do our part, and we keep showing up, I have optimism and hope for the future we will build together.

Will it be difficult?  Yes.
Will it take time? Yes.

But we are the League of Women Voters. This is our legacy. We have been fighting the good fight for over 100 years and difficult things have never stopped us.  On this anniversary of the January 6 insurrection, I encourage you to take a little time to reflect. Appreciate the work that you and our League community have done to defend democracy.  And shore yourself up for the work we have yet to do, because together we will do the difficult work ahead and continue to defend our democracy for the generations to come.

In League,

Stephanie Doute, CAE
Executive Director

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