The Receipts

America got called out tonight, in the best way possible – and, don’t you know, don’t you know, by America herself.

Night 2 of 2020’s most unconventional Democratic National Convention featured an inspired virtual roll call that was so brilliantly executed in these times of COVID-19 TV. People, real everyday Americans, from every state and territory, spoke directly to their fellow Americans, their friends and neighbors, about the issues and priorities that truly matter to them and to their states, a moment that ultimately factored all of us back into the ongoing, never-ending political conversation in this country.

Finally some nuance to these proceedings.

Tonight, Joe Biden secured the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination (I knew he’d be fine). The former U.S. vice president is in this race, with Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate, to defeat Donald “the Impeached” Trump on Nov. 3. And we best listen up, already, and heed the call, too, and do as the representative from North Carolina said to do, when they invited voters, in particular “black women…the backbone of this party,” to show up and vote. (Btw: Echoing the Tar Heel State and also going all in on Biden? Kentucky and Louisiana.)

Meanwhile, the representative from Montana made the case for crucial improvements to our high-speed Internet infrastructure. Rural broadband isn’t a nice-to-have for the Treasure State, it’s a must-have. Those communities deserve and need access to 21st century comms ASAP.

The environment was top of mind for a lot of Americans tonight. The farming couple from Iowa that spoke on behalf of the Hawkeye State remarked on the devastation created by the brutal derecho that tore through the Midwest on Aug. 10. And I heard it and I so felt it, when the essential worker reppin’ Nebraska shared that they and their co-workers have been made to feel “expendable,” even during this pandemic.

The representative from Oklahoma exalted America’s resilience, highlighting the destructive and deadly racially motivated violence visited upon Tulsa 99 years ago and the “resolve” to overcome that existed in our nation back then and that (still!) exists (stronger!) within us now. La voz del futuro se dejó escuchar desde Texas, and from South Dakota, we heard from a young First American, who reminded us that we are all related and urged our next president to lead by that philosophy.

Alluded to, IMHO, multiple times, the United States Postal Service came up most singularly, when the representative from Utah basically read a love letter to this most precious of a public good we got, championing its tradition, ease of use, and reliability.

Oh, yeah. The people brought the receipts tonight.

And from the Northern Mariana Islands, where American citizens get to nominate someone for president but not to vote for ’em, we got a reminder of our privilege (well, y’all got a reminder of yours – this whole thing is a reminder for you to get up, stand up, and fight for your motherfucking rights, for I don’t get to vote here yet): Do not waste your vote.

Register to vote, and find out when early voting starts in your state, so that you can work out your situation – no more excuses! – and make sure you can begin to effect the progress you want to see in your community, already. Heads up, California: You may vote early from Oct. 5 until Nov. 2.

Voter suppression is real, yes, in America in 2020. Look it up.

Get informed. Get involved.

The time is right now.

Do not forget to complete the 2020 U.S. Census, either; it takes no time, and the new deadline to participate is Sept. 30 (a month earlier than previously extended from summer, on account of the novel coronavirus, for which, yeah, there’s still no cure).

We are coming out of the dark. Sí se puede. Yes we can.

The best if yet to come.