Yes, I love “The Mandalorian” but that’s not what this is about. Sorry.

I was blown away yesterday when I heard Congresswoman-elect Cori Bush’s acceptance speech. It is beautiful, powerful, direct, scintillating, and inspiring. I think this will end up being — like Obama’s 2004 Convention speech or Obama’s 2008 speech on race or JFK or MLK — one of those speeches that we study, parse, praise, and watch over and over again. I think it shows us the way forward.

White liberals/progressives/Democrats like me need to turn our messaging over to Cori Bush. (And Stacey Abrams. My goodness is she incredible and inspiring too!) Because these are the same policy ideas that we’ve been touting forever, but somehow they don’t punch through all the bullshit, lies, and rhetoric spewed forth from candidates and news media. However, when you give the message over to Rep-elect Cori Bush? You can’t help but want to join in.

The whole thing is great, but the high point starts at the 3:40 mark of the video.

If you know nothing else, you remember this: My Congresswoman-elect — soon to be your Congresswoman — loves you. Your Congresswoman-elect…loves you. And I need you to get that, because if I love you, I care that you eat. If I love you, I care that you have shelter and adequate, safe housing. If I love you, I care that you have clean water and clean air and that you have a livable wage. If I love you, I care that the police don’t murder you and if I love you I care that you make it home safely. If I love you, I care that you are able to have a dignity and have a quality of life the same as the next person. The same as those that don’t look like you, that didn’t grow up the same way you did, those that don’t have the same socio-economic status as you. I care!

Rep-elect Cori Bush

How does that make you feel? It gives me the (good) chills every time. ‘Cause she is flat out PREACHING. And she states our agenda well:

Affordable health care for all.
Safe housing for all.
A living wage for all who are able to work.
Enough food for all.
Clean air and clean water for all.
High-quality education for all.
Fair treatment by police and the criminal justice system for all.

I would add:
Fair treatment in work places for all.
Marriage available for all who want it.
Protecting the environment for the benefit of all.

What could possibly be objectionable about any of that?? I truly don’t understand.

Sure, we can debate how best to achieve those goals. But that’s not what Republicans have said or done. They won’t even agree to these as the goal. They seem to object to the “for all” portion of those statements. And that’s why we have a problem. You can’t be against “for all” and be a good person. You can’t. Everyone complains and says stating it that starkly tuns off the Right. I don’t know what to tell you because it is true: If, through your words and your policies, you demonstrate that you don’t want good for everyone but only for some (who just happen to look like you)? That’s unacceptable. But I also begin to understand that when I say it like that it doesn’t sound very much like love.

So maybe hearing it in direct terms of love will break through all the noise. We need to let Representative-elect Cori Bush doing our speaking from now on. Because I love you.

This is the way.