A Thriving Democratic Community Is Our Strongest Defense

The 2024 election is over, and the future feels heavy. Donald Trump is set to retake the White House, and with Republicans controlling Congress, we are bracing for a full-scale assault on the values that bind us together. Through the campaign, Trump distanced himself from the dystopian vision of Project 2025—a plan to gut the federal government and consolidate power. Now, the architects of that project are at his side, shaping the next chapter of our nation’s history. The warning signs are all around us: the Department of Education is on the chopping block, and here in Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee is welcoming this with open arms, eager to dismantle public schools in favor of a system that enriches the few and leaves the rest of us behind.

For those of us who have fought for progress in places like Tennessee—a state far too long controlled by a Republican supermajority—this moment feels familiar, though no less devastating. We know what it’s like to fight uphill battles, to organize with hope against overwhelming odds. We know how it feels to push the boulder up the mountain, the endless struggle, but it isn’t a story of futility – it’s one of endurance. Because as long as we keep pushing, we keep hope alive.

Hope, though, is not enough on its own. Hope must be transformed into action, and action against autocracy require an alternative. In Tennessee, we’ve seen what happens when the fight goes unchecked. Our public schools, the cornerstone of opportunity, have been under relentless attack from voucher programs that siphon money away from classrooms to fund private interests. And now, with Trump and Lee aligned, we know that road is easier. The very institution of public education—a promise that every child, no matter their zip code, deserves a chance to succeed—is in peril.

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The dismantling of the Department of Education is not an abstract threat; it is a targeted strike against children in low-income communities, students with disabilities, and every family that relies on public schools to provide a better future. Tennessee stands as a cautionary tale. Governor Lee’s relentless push for voucher expansion has already drained resources from our classrooms, leaving educators struggling to do more with less. This is what happens when public schools are treated as commodities rather than cornerstones of democracy.

And yet, even in the darkest moments, we know this: the fight for democracy begins at home.

National policies may cast a long shadow, but it is at the local level that we can build the foundation for change. Regardless of what happens in Washington DC; we here in Tennessee know what it’s like to live in a state controlled by men with interested that do not lie with the people, but lie in the pockets of donors and special interests. That front has not changed for us.

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Where our inroad is right here at home. Across the state we have seen what happens when people, regardless of party or ideology, rise up against a system that is being used against them. Vouchers did not pass in Tennessee in the first round because Tennesseans stood up and worked on their own to say no.

A thriving Democratic community is more than a coalition of voters; it is a network of advocates, educators, parents, and neighbors who refuse to let despair win. It is where we organize to protect our schools, defend our rights, and stand up for the vulnerable.

After the 2016 election, we saw what was possible when people refused to sit on the sidelines. Millions mobilized, pouring their energy into local organizations and creating a wave of activism that reshaped the political landscape. We need that same energy now, but this time, we must sustain it. This is not a moment for fleeting outrage; it is a call to long-term commitment.

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Here in Anderson County, we are answering that call. We’ve opened a headquarters, trained volunteers, and put candidates on the ballot who understand that change starts at the school board and county commission. We’ve knocked on doors, made phone calls, and listened to our neighbors because we know that connection is the antidote to cynicism. And we know that every act of resistance, no matter how small, is a step toward reclaiming our future.

Our headquarters is the heart of our local organizing efforts, providing space for volunteers, meetings, and events. Help us keep the lights on and continue building a stronger Anderson County Democratic community. Donate to the Headquarters Fund here.

The challenges we face are immense, but we are not powerless. We are the ones who will hold the line against policies that seek to divide and destroy. We are the ones who will ensure that every child in Tennessee has access to a quality education. And we are the ones who will remind this nation that the promise of democracy is worth fighting for.

This is our moment to build—to transform fear into action, despair into determination, and hope into progress. Join us. Together, we can push the boulder not just up the hill, but over the top.