Amy Eklof: Voting is not Enough. We need Blue Landslide!
Voting is not Enough. We need Blue Landslide!
This past Sunday marked the start of a 100-day countdown until what I believe to be the most important election of my life. Every morning I wake to more news stories, Facebook posts, and Twitter threads that highlight the dismantling of what I once believed were unshakable shared values and a foundation that, while imperfect, solidly supported the fundamentals of democracy. I no longer feel this is guaranteed, and I’m worried. None of us can stay on the sidelines of this election. Voting is not enough. I believe we must all do a little more.
These dire times are showcasing the cracks in our societal foundations, the growing disparities among communities that need to be addressed, the disagreement over what it means to be “essential” or expendable, and the realization that the actions or inaction of even one person can have exponential consequences for good or ill. Thus, to me, the outcome of this year’s election feels bigger and more urgent—as though it will decide whether our democracy survives. Not only must we exercise our right to vote; we must work to ensure that our votes are counted. This November we need humane leadership and democracy to prevail in a landslide of votes!
I take heart knowing I am not alone. People all over are seeing what I see, hearing the call to act, and stepping up to say, “Enough! I can do more. How can I help?” I see a Wall of Moms, themselves backed by a Wall of Dads with leaf blowers, who are in turn flanked by a Wall of Veterans -- standing together to protect peaceful demonstrators in Portland from an overreach and abuse of federal power. I see peaceful Black Lives Matter protests continue all over the country and hear penetrating discussions about what it will take to heal our country from the ravages of systemic racism. I am clear-eyed, knowing why some peaceful protests have been inflamed into violence, despite most just wanting to do right by John Lewis and meet these moments with “Good Trouble.” But mostly I see thousands of individuals stepping up in multiple ways, organizing, and showing us all how our individual actions, however small, can be transformative when we act together.
Here in my own Little Silver neighborhood, I am thrilled to see this kind of momentum building. Three amazing women, whom I feel fortunate to call friends, are running for office. Joan Gotti and Stephanie Keenan are campaigning for Borough Council seats, while Stephanie Schmid has answered the call to bring her record of activism and service home to NJ4, where she hopes to unseat Chris Smith and finally bring more responsive leadership to Congress! In Monmouth County, where we desperately need new energy and transparent leadership, Michael Penna and Moira Nelson are running for seats on the Board of Chosen Freeholders. Currently, there are ZERO Democrats in this leadership role. This is neither balanced nor representative of our community. Instead of listening to residents and working to meet our concerns and needs, the current Freeholders have chosen to designate Monmouth County a Second Amendment Sanctuary, given themselves a pay raise in the middle of a pandemic, and made a $20M dollar mess of the county waste management (still without a long-term plan). Also, recently Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone continued to disappoint when he spoke out against changing the racist and sexist title of “Freeholder,” and yesterday, after an unprecedented Primary win by Democratic Candidates Penna and Nelson, he stoked unnecessary fear in voters saying, "My fellow Freeholders and I are gravely concerned as the exclusive mail-in ballot 'experiment' has been difficult at best and should not be conducted when selecting individuals to lead Boards of Educations, political parties and bodies of government.” Vote by Mail is safe and secure. I have had enough! We deserve a responsive and balanced leadership – the kind that Penna and Nelson would bring to the county. I am impressed by their experience, character, and how they are listening tirelessly to the concerns of residents so that their plans can actually help.
So, whether you are a Democrat like me or not, I hope you vote for our democracy this fall. Much of what we all love and value is at stake. Let us draw strength from the inspired activism on display all across the country and do our own part, however small, to help safeguard our ideals and our institutions. I, for one, will be volunteering from home with multiple campaigns and in multiple ways. Come November 3rd I don’t want a nail-biter of an outcome, we need a dazzling blue landslide!
Amy Eklof
Little Silver, NJ