THREE DAYS IN JANUARY

On January 5th, Georgia made history by electing its first Jewish senator and its first African-American senator. It was a historic shift for a state that also helped to elect Joe Biden President of the United States two months ago, and winning these two senate seats now gives Democrats control of both the House and Senate!

There are many reasons the Democrats prevailed in those races: Trump's behavior, the activism of people like Stacey Abrams, and the quality of our candidates. It was a perfect storm, a blue wave, and I was rightly in awe of my country on the morning of January 6th when the outcome of both races became clear.

However, later in the day, my sense of wonder and hopefulness were shattered. During clinic, I received from numerous text messages that a violent mob incited by Trump had invaded the Capitol where Congress was meeting to certify the vote. These terrorists breached the barricades literally and forcibly entered the Capitol, vandalizing it and terrorizing all those in their path - all those except many of the Capitol Police who ushered them in or stopped to take selfies with them. 

It was a shocking, memorable, day in America's history. Undaunted, Congress reconvened later that day. After frivolous challenges to the Electoral College win by Biden by 8 Republican senators and 138 congresspeople, the election was eventually certified at 330 AM the next day. 

American history is complex with many examples of sin and righteousness. However, I have never seen the juxtaposition of two such polar opposite events in the same day - a day none of us will ever forget. What I take from yesterday is that we still have so far to go as a country. We took a giant leap forward by re-gaining control of both the executive and legislative branches, but that was matched by the step back when a sitting President and congresspeople attempted a blatant coup. In the end that coup failed, and our republic held. 

In his death bed op-ed, John Lewis famously said, "Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part to help build the Beloved Community, a nation and world society at peace with itself." Let us remember the arc of John Lewis' life and his words, and let us never forget that democracies do not happen on their own. They happen when we fight for our lives to make our union more perfect. May we never forget that after these three days in January.