Today marks a historic election day. How will it impact those of us in the nonprofit sector and the issues we care so deeply about?
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said:
The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.
This idea has kept me going through this seemingly never-ending election year.
Although I’ve always been emotional about politics in the past (especially when it comes to issues I care deeply about), this election seems less about policy and more about morality and justice.
Questions We Ask Ourselves
As this election season finally comes to a close, there are a number of important question we must ask ourselves:
- Will we embrace immigrants and refugees, or will we build a wall to keep them out?
- Will we work to protect the earth and the environment, or will we deny a problem exists?
- Will we protect women, or will we allow them to be demeaned and groped (or worse)?
- Will we provide higher education to all, or only to those who can afford it?
- Will we offer healthcare to those who need it most, or allow employers to make our decisions?
These issues, and so many others, are central reasons I got into the nonprofit sector in the first place. Issues of social justice and human rights are why I work so hard to help so many people raise funds — it’s all about making the world a better place.
How Do We Make the World a Better Place?
To me, Dr. King’s quote embodies the nonprofit sector. Every single day in our work, we fight for:
- Better education
- Improved healthcare
- Equal rights for minorities and women
- A clean environment
- Housing the homeless
- Feeding the poor
The list goes on and on.
We each represent such valuable causes, and every single one is worthy of our time and passion.
The Rise of Hatred and Division
This year’s election has brought out an entirely new level of hatred and division — one like we’ve never seen before. Our democratic process has literally been called into question, and groups like the KKK have been reinvigorated to unimaginable boldness and legitimacy.
This year, a candidate that’s considered by most — even his own supporters — to be racist, misogynistic, bombastic and xenophobic, has risen to the top of one of our major political parties. He’s already reshaped politics in many alarming ways, amplifying the voices of hate groups and bullies everywhere.
If we, as a nation, elect someone like that, aren’t we also validating the quality of his character?
So many of the issues we fight for in the nonprofit sector — like ending violence against women, saving our planet, putting a stop to racism and hatred — all of these things could be set back years based on the choice we make at the voting booth.
It’s a Referendum on Morality
Regardless of your political affiliation, today we’re all deciding whether this sort of attitude and behavior is acceptable at the highest levels of our nation. Because if it’s acceptable there, it won’t be long before it filters down to the rest of us… and our children.
Although the country is deeply divided, I am confident that the arc of the moral universe indeed bends toward justice. You can help it along with your vote.
So please, vote today — make a difference.
I voted this morning.
Thank you for speaking for justice and truth.
Hi Amy,
Thanks so much for writing this piece. I used to live in New York so I was fairly isolated from badly partisan politics and electioneering. I now live in south Florida… what an eye-opener. It’s been difficult to say the least. But back to your piece. I’m afraid folks aren’t even beginning to think about the unintended consequences, like how far and how fast the stock market might plummet if DT is elected. And how that will affect everything – jobs, housing, health care… you name it. And yes, of course it will affect the non-profit sector in ways that we probably can’t imagine as yet. But I will remain hopeful today. We have early voting in Florida so I’ve already voted. I’m going to do my best to focus on my work, which like you is to make a difference and make the world a better place.
Best regards, Lisa
Thanks for writing this, Amy, and putting into words what so many of us are unable to. I’ve already voted, since we have early voting and voting by mail in Nevada, but I can’t stress enough to my friends and family how important it is to get out and vote, if they haven’t already. I worry for my female friends who are choosing Republican and are also raising daughters – what kind of message are they sending that that sort of behavior is okay, that it’s okay for a man to eventually treat their girls like less than?
Thanks for sharing, Brianna!
While I don’t agree with him and a lot of what he has done and said. You don’t mention anything about her record. So one is lead to believe you are pushing a candidate on your support raising blog.
It’s true, I could have mentioned her flaws, of which there are many. However when you look at the issues and the negativity, it’s a clear choice for me. The important point is that everyone votes!
Amy,
What do we do now? I am wearing black and blue today. I feel beat up and a bit scared. How about you?
Thanks for sharing, Cindy. I’m ready to take action in next weeks post, so stay tuned.
Thank you, Amy, for this post urging everyone to vote and to consider the consequences of their vote – or non-vote – on our country and all that we love and hold dear.
Today we begin to absorb the election results and prepare to reckon with what it means.
I am grateful to be with you and others who empathize and never give up. Together we will bend the arc of our shared destiny toward justice.