by Rev. Dr. George C.L. Cummings, Regional Executive Director – Faith in Action East Bay
In eight days, we collectively will express our commitment to democracy by voting. Let us remember that voting is an expression of our values. Mother Fannie Lou Hamer, an African American Civil Rights icon and sharecropper in Mississippi once said “I went down to register to vote because my freedom depended on it.” The value of freedom would be a consequence of her courageous act of registering to vote.
Let us remember that voting is an expression of our values.
Democracy is a fundamental value, which is essential to the American Dream. For this courageous act, Fannie Lou Hamer was imprisoned, beaten, and almost lost her life. She believed that unless all are free, none is free. When we follow Mother Fannie in voting we are always engaging in a radical act of solidarity with others. Democracy is the act of voting together so that our collective values express who we are. Voting expresses our belief that we can do more together than we do separately. Solidarity is caring for each other no matter who we are, where we live, where we come from, or what faith we stand for. When we vote together according to our values we are expressing our belief that we belong to each other.
Voting is a revolutionary act of solidarity. Voting is a courageous act of commitment to others. In the same way that Professor Cornel West has said, “Justice is the public face of love,” voting is love in the public square. Voting on November 8, 2022 is essential to the survival of our democracy. Democracy in the United States of America is at stake. As people of faith, we believe in the values of love, justice, democracy, the dignity of all life, and the wellbeing of all. Therefore, we must vote according to our values. We must vote in order to express our vision for our society. We must vote because our ancestors gave their lives for this sacred act. We must vote in order to secure the franchise for future generations. We must vote to protect a dream that Dr. Martin Luther King spoke about in his famous speech: “[Vote for] a society in which all men, women and children can prosper, live in harmony and share in the abundant resources and wealth that our nation has been blessed with. Vote for a future that includes racial and economic equity for all.”
Find resources to vote on our Vote Your Values page.