Wisdom. It’s our Soul Matters theme for March… And I’m here to tell you that we are practicing VERY important wisdom by thinking about and working on the 2020 elections right now!
The stakes in the upcoming elections are very high. Our UU values, our work for justice, the communities we love, and the beloved community we seek to create are under attack in today’s political climate. As people who affirm and promote the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process, we have important work to do.
We’re fortunate that we don’t have to do it alone. This week, our Social Action Chair Ann Heidkamp and I met with Nora Rasman, the new organizer hired by the “UU the Vote” campaign to focus on the state of Wisconsin. Why Wisconsin? Because our votes are absolutely critical this pivotal election year — and both Milwaukee County AND Waukesha County are important. It’s been all over the news media: Wisconsin voters are likely to determine the future of our entire nation.
There are other groups working to organize voters in WI, including SOPHIA, the Waukesha County community-organizing group of which UUCW is a member. That’s why Barbara Pfarr, UUCW member and staff member of WISDOM (the parent organization of SOPHIA) met with Nora and Ann and me this week. We know that we will have a much greater impact if we work together!
What does “organizing voters” mean? The idea is to engage with people to learn their interests and values, and to share our own with them. Because for many people, someone they already know and have a relationship with is the best person to help them figure out the issues and candidates, and get out and vote!
That’s why we are gathering people on Sunday, March 15 at 11:45 am in Room UL-3 at UUCW to learn more about how we can help. We’ll learn about upcoming opportunities for door-to-door canvassing in a section of Brookfield (on March 22 and 29 from 2:30 to 4:30 — starting with a training session at UUCW) and about becoming “ambassadors” in the SOPHIA Relational Voter Program, by using the nifty new Relational Voter Program smartphone app.
This is urgent work. The folks who get paid big bucks for figuring out voting campaigns say that indifferent voters are more likely to vote in the November 3, 2020 election if they’ve voted in the April 7th primary. And besides the partisan presidential primary, there are important issues and races on that April 7th ballot, including a pivotal seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The Supreme Court race is especially critical, for the Court will weigh in on many issues in the years ahead, including voting rights, Voter ID, and partisan gerrymandering of state legislative and congressional districts!
So please, join us in the work of wisdom! Thinking about the elections – and living your UU values by helping us organize voters.
Blessings to you,
Rev. Suzelle Lynch
