Dear Neighbors,
On this first anniversary of the violent insurrection that we saw on January 6, 2021, our democracy is on my mind, as I’m sure it’s on yours.
In the last few years, we’ve seen our democracy tested in unimaginable ways. After Americans and Minnesotans turned out in record numbers to make their voices heard in the 2020 election, we witnessed a sitting President incite a violent attack on our nation’s Capitol and democracy itself.
Now a year later, our democracy continues to be threatened. The attack on our nation’s Capitol has metastasized into an ongoing crisis. Disinformation is spreading rapidly, and right-wing extremism is growing. Political violence has increased over the past year, and elections officials are being targeted in Minnesota and other states.
Some right-wing lawmakers are still spreading the lies and conspiracy theories that fueled the insurrection. They’re also using these lies to push for sham audits, partisan interference in elections administration, and a slew of anti-voter policies to insulate their power from the will of voters.
Other lawmakers have yet to acknowledge the deadly and deliberate attempt to overturn the will of American voters. Despite growing evidence it was a deliberate and nearly successful coup attempt, many of them have failed to condemn it, even as we recognize its one-year anniversary.
This isn’t about politics, party loyalty, or gaining an advantage in the next election. Upholding the will of American voters is a nonpartisan issue, and it should unite us all. In this make-or-break moment, none of us belong silently on the sidelines.
The first step is to speak up and condemn the deliberate lies that fuel political violence and subvert the power of voters. However, that’s the bare minimum. We also must work together, at the state and federal levels, to protect free and fair elections and to strengthen the power of voters in our democracy.
You sent me to the legislature, and I'm committed to protecting your voice and our state’s proud tradition of voter participation and trusted local elections. I will continue to do everything I can to ensure everyone, of every background, zip code, and political persuasion, has the freedom to vote. Together, we will work towards realizing the promise of a truly representative democracy for all.
It’s time to take action, and we need to do it now. I hope you’ll join me in standing up and speaking out for our democracy.
With purpose and hope,
Emma Greenman
State Representative