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My Fellow Citizens,


Austin had a big weekend since our last email. I shared a bit about it in a video I posted earlier this week*. The city was crawling with the uber-engaged attending the Texas Tribune Festival.

The grand finale made the national news. 55,000 people gathered downtown to see the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate (who shared the stage with Willie Nelson that night). 

For me, this weekend of maximum political engagement culminated in one big question--how do we build entrances and onramps for the less engaged? The question came from DeRay McKesson's short appearance on the SlateDay stage Saturday morning. 

He explained that he sees his job as finding entrances and onramps for the people he wants to engage. While visiting his Aunt, the Kavanaugh hearings were on television but she isn't really into the Supreme Court or fighting over Roe. The grievances the activists were exchanging on Twitter would not interest her at all. So, DeRay started with, "do you know they aren't releasing all his papers?" That got her attention. She knows what she thinks about accountability and holding public office means you have to release the papers.

Now she had a reason to watch the hearings. Finding that onramp made the difference between DeRay's aunt watching that process as long as he was in the room and watching it until she knew how it ended. She had her own reason to watch what happened.

It has been a tough week. It's tempting to try to connect with others through our outrage and frustration. That's not going to build an onramp for someone who doesn't already get involved like we do. Here's to staying focused on building entrances and onramps in the days ahead. 

Let's think together soon,
Shellee

*That video is something new. I'm not sure I'm into it but I'm going to keep trying. If you have a question to explore or a topic suggestion for the next one, I would love to hear your idea. 

How will the last few weeks affect the public standing of the Supreme Court?


In one analysis, the Washington Post's Monkey Cage blog shows what's at stake. Three things to consider:

1. Public views of the court tend to be stable and positive. 
2. A sharply divided court could dent its public standing.
3. Kavanaugh would be another "minority" justice.

The Supreme Court has been criticized as our least democratic branch for decades. Does that mean that today's territory is nothing new or are we going to see a new era for the court?

To talk more about this designation of "minority justice," visit our post here. 

When it comes to what a new era might look like, The Atlantic suggests a pattern we have seen in the past:

The Supreme Court is Headed Back to the 19th Century: The justices again appear poised to pursue a purely theoretical liberty at the expense of the lives of people of color
 
These articles are both excellent reads for approaching the controversy of the last few weeks with an institutional perspective. If you're more interested in historical questions, make time to read "The Suffocation of Democracy" by Christopher Browning.

It's a long read so grab a cup of coffee and settle in as you consider one historian's answer to the question of how "the current situation in the United States resembles the interwar period and rise of fascism in Europe." It's thoughtfully written and is bound to make you think.

Be sure to share your thoughts with us here
*Some of the links provided above will take you to Politicolor's civic learning community where you will need to be a member to access the content. It's free so request an invite when you see that option.
Grab an Invite

Vote today to support the International Civil Rights Center and Museum.


We were fortunate to catch up with Professor Will Harris in Greensboro, North Carolina this month. He has recently worked with ICRCM to launch an Initiative for the New Constitution there. Our friends at ICRCM are competing in a National Geographic contest to win funds that will support a couple of important facilities upgrades. 

Click the image to visit National Geographic's #VoteYourMainStreet and lend your five daily votes to ICRCM. You can vote 5x a day through October 26th. 

Good Work: "What a Beautiful World" performed by Jon Batiste


Jon Batiste has lent his talent to a new project that has him reinventing familiar tunes. His performance of this song is particularly powerful right now.

"What a Beautiful World" was released in the turbulent year of 1968. It offered an invitation to look for peace and see that we're surrounded by opportunities. The song struggled to find an audience in the United States and was hardly noticed in its own time. The history of that time and the history of the song both seem to connect with themes today. 

Batiste introduces his performance with an invitation to:

"Take some time,  close your eyes and meditate with us on the beauty and grandeur of this celestial ball in the middle of space that we live on called Earth. It's a beautiful place to be...

Remember to take time to reflect and to love yourself." 

That's an important reminder and the power of this performance is going to carry me into next week. I hope you find a moment of majesty through it too. 

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Being an engaged and informed citizen isn't getting any easier so we should stick together. If you received this email from a friend, this next button is for you. 

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