No Vacation Without Representation Protest, Dec. 9th, 2021
By Larry of Northern California Action for Democracy
Photo by Seth Marbin
The morning of Thursday, December 9th, a collection of Indivisible organizers calling ourselves Northern California Action for Democracy (NCAD) gathered forty activists from all reaches of the Bay Area to demonstrate outside Senator Padilla's and Senator Feinstein's office buildings in downtown San Francisco. Seth Marbin of Songs for Good livestreamed and recorded the event.
Video by Seth Marbin.
We had been protesting at Senator Feinstein's building every Friday afternoon for three months straight, demanding that she lead on ending the filibuster and on passing voting rights and election protection laws. We had met with Senator Feinstein's Judiciary Committee staff as well as with her state staff, who said that she would follow Senator Schumer's direction but would not lead, a position that is utterly unacceptable for the senior senator from California. We had just circulated a public letter calling for her to lead on passing the Freedom to Vote Act, no matter what it takes, or to step down by December 1st so that Governor Newsom could appoint someone who would. Four score local Indivisible groups and other groups, representing about 150,000 Californians, had signed onto the letter.
As part of Black Voters Matter-coordinated protests also happening in Atlanta, New York City, and Richmond (Virginia) that were timed to run opposite the farcical White House Summit for Democracy, we first assembled outside of Senator Padilla's office at 333 Bush Street. Senator Padilla did not rise to the occasion of our request in advance that he call for the Senate to stay in session and not adjourn for the holidays until they break through the filibuster and pass the Freedom to Vote Act. So, NCAD organizer Nancy could not present him with a beautiful "Democracy Defender" sash that NCAD volunteer Amy had graciously made. NCAD organizer Felix read a statement thanking Senator Padilla for his efforts for voting rights and against the filibuster while also imploring him to heed our urgent ask. As it stands, Republican-run states are drawing gerrymandered district maps for primary elections that come ever closer, they are enacting vicious Jim Crow-grade restrictions on voting, the time left to head off those democracy-destroying maps and practices or to challenge them in court is disappearing, and the Senate could adjourn any day now.
Buoyed along by songs and chants led by inspiringly lyrical master of ceremonies Lu Aya, with voting rights banners held high, we marched to Senator Feinstein's building at Post and Market. NCAD organizer Ogie held a "dialogue" about our straightforward and entirely reasonable yet unanswered requests with an empty chair representing the senator. Eight volunteers staged a "die-in," each reading off the racist voting restrictions and legislative attacks on elections in a Republican-controlled state. Several volunteers blocked one of the doors to Senator Feinstein's office building in protest of her untenable position, while a (non-endorsing) National Lawyers Guild observer kept watch. I spoke about how the threat of Republican tyranny is dire and still growing. Senator Feinstein's State Director Jim Lazarus made an appearance to listen to us, and NCAD organizer Lisa read to him a follow-up to our letter to the senator, which concluded (emphasis added):
Our democracy is in imminent danger and yet you choose to do nothing and to say nothing. We are enclosing our original letter to you so that you can see all of the groups who choose not to remain silent and passive, but are now, instead, calling upon you with one voice to resign. We do not make this request lightly. We have enormous respect for the many fine years of public service you have given our state and our nation. But we cannot look the other way. You are failing to fight for our survival. Please stand aside and make way for someone who will.
Nancy then closed out our protest with a call for more. It was an invigorating event that we hope made clear the existential urgency of breaking the filibuster to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, among other actions that we need our Democratic federal politicians to take.
Where do we go from here? You can take action from home:
Use our guide at freedomtovotenow.org and call our senators
Send a message to Senate Majority Leader Schumer through his nationwide contact page
Ask President Biden to call the Senate into special session if they try to adjourn before passing election protections, via email or via phone at 202-456-1111 (Tuesday through Thursday, 11 AM to 3 PM Eastern time)
And you can join us in person:
Fight Back Friday protest with “democracy caroling" (you can preview the song lyrics and hear audio samples!), 5 PM Friday, December 17th, at Union Square in San Francisco
Save the date for voting rights vigils and actions on January 6th, 2022
Get involved with local Indivisible groups, the Poor People’s Campaign, and other organizations. Keep hope alive, have the courage of your convictions, and don't let up.
#NoVacationWithoutRepresentation #RightsBeforeRecess