Hey Nerds,
I was planning on posting something yesterday, but honestly I wasn’t up to it. 2020 has, figuratively, punched us in the nuts.
Our plans were great intentions. Social lives have gone virtual. Seeing loved ones will happen some day.
Then there are the ones we have lost. Personally, we have lost some distant relatives this year in our families and I lost a dear friend from grad school. He was a phenomenal artist and a devoted father. As a collective people, we’ve lost some notable celebrities/public figures, including (but definitely not limited to) Diana Rigg, Chadwick Boseman, Naya Rivera, John Lewis, Grant Imahara, Nick Cordero, Jerry Stiller, Little Richard, Ian Holm, Max von Sydow, Nikita Pearl Waligwa, Kobe Bryant, Fred Willard, Lynn Cohen, Kirk Doublas, and Irfan Khan.
And then we lost Ruth.
This loss put me over the edge. I sat staring at the TV I had just turned on, brownie at my lips, unable to comprehend what I was reading or able to take a bite. The news hit hard and my emotions flooded over me.
Grief for the loss of a woman who though she was little she was fierce. She fought for equality. A fight from which I directly reap benefits. Because of Ruth, I can:
- Sign a mortgage without a man
- Have a bank account without a male co-signing for me
- Have a job without being discriminated against due to my gender
Because of Ruth there are girls across the nation, and dare I say world, who know they can one day do whatever they put their minds to because she laid out the blueprint. A map for them to follow. Gifted hope for their future.
And most importantly, Ruth dissented. In her own words:
“Dissents speak to a future age. It’s not simply to say, ‘My colleagues are wrong and I would do it this way.’ But the greatest dissents do become court opinions and gradually over time their views become the dominant view. So that’s the dissenter’s hope: that they are writing not for today, but for tomorrow.”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, Interview with Nina Totenberg of National Public Radio (May 2, 2002).
So let’s take this day, and every day moving forward, to move towards a world of greater equality. To honor Ruth with our actions and words, let’s live meaningful lives not for today, but for tomorrow.
What can I do?
Let me take a quick moment. If you haven’t picked up yet that I am a fairly liberal-leaning nerd, I’ll spell it out for you now. I’m a nerd who leans liberally. Hard. These suggestions are for anyone who is sitting at home feeling frustrated and at a loss of what to do next, but I’m going to recommend things that align with how I lean. Do with that what you will.
Donate
If you have the money to spare, one of the greatest things you can do is support entities that support causes important to you. The night of Ruth’s passing, I immediately donated money to a candidate who I felt strongly needs support to have a better chance at winning a seat in the Senate. The following day, I donated to a campaign that equally distributed my donation between thirteen candidates who are looking to flip their seat. It’s something that I can do from home and it’s something you can easily Google.
You can also give to organizations that fight for equality. Organizations like the ACLU fight for civil liberties. The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Their mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees. (Taken from their site.)
Fun Fact: Ruth Bader Ginsburg worked for the ACLU, joined in 1972 as the founding director of the new Women’s Rights Project. Total Bad Ass.
Volunteer/Get Active
Time is our most precious resource. What you do with your time is your gift to the world. You can use that time as you choose, but I urge you to consider volunteering for a group that means something to you. At a loss for where you can volunteer? Try this list:
- Your church (if you have one and/or are religious)
- Your local library
- Homeless shelters
- Schools/scholarship programs
- Your local VA hospital/any hospital
- American Civil Liberties Union
- Human Rights Campaign
- Political campaigns (they need people making calls/texts, sending mailings, and canvassing neighborhoods)
- Become a poll worker (help ensure everyone can successfully vote)
- Animal shelters
- Food kitchens/banks
Volunteering in person is problematic during the pandemic, but there are still plenty of things you can do to help an organization right now.
VOTE
That’s right, the greatest and most meaningful thing you can do is vote. It’s simple. Voting is a right not all Americans were granted with the writing of the Constitution. Those excluded groups have fought hard battles to get where we are today and I firmly believe you have to exercise that right as frequently as possible.
Understand me, when I say as frequently as possible I don’t mean multiple times in a single election. That’s voter fraud and is illegal. What I do mean is vote in every election possible. Not just the show stoppers like federal elections. Get out and vote during your local and state elections too, because the decisions made at the local and state levels have a greater impact on your day to day lives.
Want some tips for voting?
- Check that you are registered
- If you’re not, register to vote (there are deadlines, so get to it!)
- Vote early (you don’t have to vote on election day, look for earlier dates in your state to vote)
- Bring your important documents with you (such as an ID and voter registration card)
- Look up your sample ballot before you go
- Know your rights (in Texas you can ask for assistance if you need help casting your ballot, and you can ask for up to two additional ballots if you make a mistake while voting…obviously you only cast ONE)
- Don’t get intimidated by a polling place if it’s loud or there are people out front supporting a specific candidate (you have every right to vote and they can’t force you to vote for anyone)
- Check your ballot before you cast it, making sure the selections you made are reflected on your final ballot
If you already have voted, or were already going to vote, then get out there and advocate! Make sure your entire household is signed up or your entire extended family. Call friends. Tweet at your Twitter followers. Share your voter registration status on Facebook to drive awareness.
Your voice matters, so make sure it’s counted.
Make Ruth proud.
Cheers,
Head Nerd