(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Top Comments: What's Your Plan These Next 128 Days Edition [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-07-01 Given Independence Day later this week, my diary tonight was originally going to focus on that. But then 10am Eastern rolled around, and… well. There’ve been many diaries all day on that. And there will be more in the days and weeks to come. So I’m going to share a couple of my prior July 4th diaries then pivot to what’s been on my mind all day. Twelve years ago, back in 2012, I penned an actual July 4th diary. I focused on quotes from Founding Fathers that resonated with me that year. Still a good selection, if I do say so myself. The following year, I interpreted the Declaration of Independence with examples of Republican tyranny. Funny how that’s an evergreen exercise no matter what year it is. In 2018 I took part in the #SecondCivilWars exercise. That was fun! In both 2022 and 2023, I shared links to NPR’s break with their tradition of reading the Declaration of Indepencence aloud, and what they filled the airwaves with instead. If you have the time, they’re well worth the listen. I know that on Thursday morning I will, over coffee, reread that founding document again. I’ve done so every July 4th for as long as I can remember… high school at least. I hope you will too. However, today was a starkly bleak day in American history. We are on the brink of our national birthday wondering if this shall be its last. I’ve had more friends than I expected tell me today that they’re scared. Hopeless. Worried about what will come. What I’ve told everyone is If we give up hope, then we lose. Don’t give up. But the followup to that is What are you going to do to make sure we win in November? As civil rights activist Marian Wright Edelman said, “Democracy is NOT a spectator sport”. We cannot sit back and hope others save it; no, we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work. No matter your age, skill set, physical abilities, economic status, geographic location and extrovertedness, there is a way for EVERYONE to be a part of the effort. I work with my local Democratic Committee to get accurate information out and to encourage people to get involved. I donate money as I’m able to candidates. I’m just beginning to get involved with the League of Women Voters, to help register voters. I’m planning to write postcards to voters in swing states, as my own is safely Democratic leaning. I’m talking to friends, family and neighbors about why this election matters. How we got to this point and what the consequences are if we lose. There will be more. Next week at Netroots Nation I’ll be paying attention for more ways I can be effective in getting Team Biden/Harris reelected, along with solid Democratic House and Senate representation. [side note: I will not be publishing next Monday as Casa Brillig will be in a car driving from MA to Baltimore] What are/will you be doing? We’ve got 128 days until the polls close. Please share in the comments so we can all feel hopeful!! Here at Top Comments we welcome longtime as well as brand new Daily Kos readers to join us at 10pm Eastern. We strive to nourish community by rounding up some of the site's best, funniest, most mojo'd & most informative commentary, and we depend on your help!! If you see a comment by another Kossack that deserves wider recognition, please send it either to topcomments at gmail or to the Top Comments group mailbox by 9:30pm Eastern. Please please please include a few words about why you sent it in as well as your user name (even if you think we know it already :-)), so we can credit you with the find! TOP COMMENTS Brillig's ObDisclaimer: The decision to publish each nomination lies with the evening's Diarist and/or Comment Formatter. My evenings at the helm, I try reeeeallllyy hard to publish everything without regard to content. I really do, even when I disagree personally with any given nomination. "TopCommentness" lies in the eyes of the nominator and of you, the reader - I leave the decision to you. I do not publish self-nominations (ie your own comments) and if I ruled the world, we'd all build community, supporting and uplifting instead of tearing our fellow Kossacks down. Please remember that comment inclusion in Top Comments does not constitute support or endorsement by diarist, formatter, Top Comments writers or DailyKos. Questions, complaints or comments? Contact brillig. The mailboxes were empty. Let’s fix that for tomorrow, ok? TOP MOJO Top Mojo for yesterday (Sunday), June 30th 2024, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on FAQing Top Mojo. Top Pictures The site maintenance done by Daily Kos on June 9th obliterated Top Pictures. Because this was all jotter’s work, we at Top Comments do not have the information and access necessary to replicate it. On June 12th the Help Desk said they’d do what they could to find/revive it. That’s the last update we have. Fingers crossed we one day have it back. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/7/1/2250439/-Top-Comments-What-s-Your-Plan-These-Next-128-Days-Edition?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/