We the People Draw the Line
We claim exceptionalism. We revere a Constitution that secures the blessings of liberty and general welfare. We stand in the image of great leaders like Abraham Lincoln and claim a government of the people, for the people, by the people. But we have failed. We have violated the Constitution and the values we hold dear.
WE THE PEOPLE ARE BROKEN.
OUR SYSTEM IS SHATTERED, OUR COLLECTIVE VOICES SILENCED.
We have created a system that values white voices over voices of color. Our democracy has actively excluded people of color and has sought to limit their influence through various forms of voter suppression. These tactics corrupt our democracy, making it less accessible to people of color. And if our democracy has failed some of us, it has failed all of us. Since its inception in 1812, gerrymandering has been used to manipulate our electoral system by implementing redistricting designed to ensure certain voting outcomes. Both Democrats and Republicans have used gerrymandering to their advantage, drowning out the voices of their opposition. Gerrymandering quickly developed racial tactics, targeting communities of color and ensuring that their voices would not receive fair and equal representation. In an effort to avoid accusations of racial discrimination, politicians adopted the terminology of “partisan gerrymandering,” insisting that that drawing of districts were not based on race. However, numerous studies have shown that this not true and that the burden created by gerrymandering disproportionately affects communities of color.
WE THE PEOPLE DEMAND A CHANGE.
We demand an end to all forms of voter suppression, beginning with the dismantling of partisan gerrymandering. It must be acknowledged that partisan gerrymandering disproportionately affects communities of color, with the packing and cracking of these communities effectively violating the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The time has come for end of redistricting being controlled by corrupt politicians and special interest groups. We demand the creation of independent, non-partisan commissions to create districts that ensure fair and balanced representation. We call on our political leaders to finds new ways to create an electoral system that does not rely on districts based on political affiliation or racial bias. We demand the creation of a redistricting system that ensures that all Americans are represented.
WE THE PEOPLE WILL MAKE A CHANGE.
We must bring the question of our democracy’s sanctity before the public eye. Through mixed media including print advertisements, posters, billboards, and web advertisements, we will raise awareness. As Dziga Vertov did with his agit-trains, we will bring the message directly to the people. We must engage all residents of our country in this endeavor if we are to be successful. By capturing the dangerous reality of our democracy under gerrymandering and instilling truth in the public, we will engage our collective minds in a discussion of what it means to have every person represented. This discussion must be driven by facts. To that end, we will bring the facts to the people using a website that will be a hub for all information relevant to gerrymandering. Data and graphics will be central to our site, for statistics and images are the most powerful messages for the human mind. The statistics and images on our site will be accompanied by direct paths to activism for our readers. Letter writing, signature campaigns, and other forms of activism will all be encouraged and facilitated.
WE THE PEOPLE WILL CORRECT THE DIALOGUE.
We must ensure that the people are not misinformed. In the early twenty-first century, one of the biggest drivers of misinformation is social media. We will harness the power of social media to subvert the misinformation imposed by malicious actors. On social media, our cause will be identified by the hashtag #endthemander. By employing the power of automation, we will address as much of the misinformation as we can. We will use a Twitter bot to respond to all tweets pertaining to redistricting. Upon detecting a tweet about redistricting, our bot will tweet a fact about the perils of gerrymandering. We commit to making sure that the people know the truth: gerrymandering has endangered our democracy.
WE THE PEOPLE STAND TOGETHER.
Change will not come easily. A single voice is lost in the crowd, but a thousand voices ringing out together cannot be ignored. We must come together as Americans, as humans, and demand that our voices are heard no matter race, creed, or background. This is not about party lines or ideological difference. This is about ensuring our political survival. Our democracy is being threatened and we, as Americans, can no longer stand idly by while political elites try to confine us. We will no longer be numbers in the minds of our political leaders. We are not votes to be won, voices to be silenced, or statistics to be hidden. Our communities will no longer be split up and regrouped by the subjective motives of greedy politicians. We must stand together as Americans regardless of party affiliation or racial difference and demand that we all deserve to be heard. A threat to one of us, is a threat to all of us. We the people must truly be all the people. Young or old, black or white, male or female, Democrat or Republican, we are all Americans and we all must be heard.
We the People Will Be Heard