run for office - Small Actions Matter

Those are the words of Matthew McConaughey, a Uvalde native, after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary school in Ulvade, Texas.

He is right. We must do better!

All of us have 24 hours a day which present themselves with plenty of opportunities to choose how to respond and how to act. This includes the smallest of actions like stopping to pet the dog who comes up to you in the morning which has shown health benefits or simply to walk past. It includes more impactful decisions like walking away from a toxic job or sticking with it. It includes the decision to call your representative to come up with better gun laws. You can find your representative and if you need a little help, here is a “How to Call” page to set you up for success.

After all, there are laws and checks and licenses for driving a car even in Texas, so why not for guns?

The reason there are little to no gun laws is because politicians have no incentive to change the current laws. Yes, there is an attempt by the Democratic party to raise the age limit for purchasing semi-automatic rifles from 18 to 21. This is a good first step and it is backed up by a Washington Post investigation into school shootings suggesting that the “median age of school shooters is 16”.

Will it work though? Will Republicans agree and pass the law? OR will the GOP block gun laws?

That depends on you and the choices you make and the actions you take. If you call your representative to urge them to implement gun laws, then they will be compelled to take action. This is how democracy works. The people decide what they want and the representative take action upon the people’s wishes. That is why “we the people” need to do our part and make our voices heard – every single day.

We must do better!

We must demand better!

We must demand better gun laws!

Running for office is not only trendy these days, it is also important to create the world you want to live in.

Whether you want to stop mass shootings in schools or in general, enable healthcare for everyone or prevent wildfires, it pays to be in a position of power to make your mark on the world.

But why ME? Aren’t there enough people who want to run the country?

That’s a question I hear a lot and you are right. You are right. There are A LOT of people who want to impose their view of the world onto others through being in a position of power. That is the reason why it is important to fully participate yourself. Otherwise, it will be others who create their ideal world – whether you like it or not. For example, Wayne LaPierre (CEO and Executive VP of the NRA) has a clear idea of how he wants the world to look like and so does Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito who is busy overturning Roe v Wade and then banning contraception and then banning LGBTQ rights. Who knows where it will end.

That is why it is important for YOU to take action also.

I know, it may be out of your comfort zone or involve skills which you need to learn first. I hope you understand that any skills you acquire whilst preparing for or engaging in any official role will benefit you in the job market also.

If you think it is too hard or takes too much of your time though, think again. Many initial roles don’t take too much time and are a good opportunity to learn about the organization. For example, before running for your school board, you may want to start with attending school board meetings and raising issues there. Once you are familiar with the process, people and set up, you can decide to run yourself.

Just imagine, if every parent with a child in school would bring valid issues to the school board with the same determination, I’m sure they would be run differently – and possibly by different people.

The same holds true for the organizing members of Toastmasters clubs, local councils all the way to Congress. You can only influence what you are actively participating in. Voting is a great first step, but sometimes, it is not enough. Sometimes, it is important to take action yourself.

If you want to participate and think that you don’t have the money or the time to participate, think again. In 2018, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez “was outspent by a margin of 18 to 1 ($1.5 million to $83,000)” and won against a 10 term incumbent. She did this through grassroots mobilization and to this day, Ocasio-Cortez does not take donations from corporations. Yes, it can be done.

Now imagine what you could do if you put your mind to it. Imagine the world you want to live in.

What will you do? Stand by the sidelines or step up for what you believe in? Take that action and create the world you deserve!

Tag: run for office

We must do better!

Step Up, Run For Office And Save A Life