By Michelle Pallas
So, what happens to the truth when we stand silent? Do we begin to live the lies? Does the constant, relentless delivery of lies break our desire for truth? Are we the frog in water that gets cooked because the water keeps getting hotter and hotter?
Now is the time to wake up. Shake off the propaganda like a wet dog and run full force toward freedom. We will save ourselves.
Wake up! Own our power! Don’t let manipulators tell you that being “woke” is bad. They want you to turn away while they steal your voting power, control your healthcare choices, and redirect your hard-earned savings to benefit their greedy rich buddies.
Truth-telling means owning the story, calling out villains, and messaging for our future.
The time is now to be hyper-aware, to question every action, and to push back on lies. Here are a few reminders:
- Tell the True Story
Demand lawmakers act, so we have clean air and water, live free from gun violence, and have jobs that let us care for our families. Celebrate good news by telling a story about how things in Michigan are better because Democrats demand good government. The Michigan Republicans who assembled the fake electors are being held accountable for election fraud because our attorney general is telling the truthful story. Our governor is leading the way on clean energy jobs, protecting our environment, and preparing for a future that addresses the climate crisis. She is telling the truth and keeping us safe. Our Michigan Democrats did more than thoughts and prayers after two school shootings. Democrats passed laws to protect our families at home, in crowds, and at voting locations. All these stories are true, but every day domestic and foreign bad actors are aggressively attacking and distracting us. They want us to be afraid, to sit in the warming water until it’s too late to escape. The true story is that we are greater than fear, we own our truth, and the more we tell it, the greater our power. We must use the power of our vote to demand freedoms and live a safe and full life. - Nothing is Forever
Only in a democracy will your vote matter. Stay awake. Vote your power. In 2022, Michigan voters showed up at polls to protect reproductive freedoms and change legislative control from Republicans to Democrats. Over the last two years, they enacted laws to protect a woman’s right to healthcare, implement common sense gun laws, and protect collective bargaining. MAGA Republicans nationwide are working to overrule state laws regarding access to abortion, IVF, contraception, and more, and even pass a national abortion ban. Do not be comfortable. BE AGGRESSIVELY DEMANDING. Michiganders will lose abortion rights if Republicans win. The frog will be cooked, and freedom will be gone. Be brutally honest about MAGA Republicans’ intentions to take away women’s rights, undermine confidence in the electoral process, and give the greedy rich more power. - We Deserve Better
For 40 years while Republicans had control in Lansing, regulations that protect our environment were lifted, and greedy corporations dumped pollution into our air, water, and land. Do you know who pays to clean it up? We do, taxpayers. Only Democrats will change this. Only your vote will protect all of us. Keep using Race-Class-Narrative (RCN): Values, Villain, Vision. Celebrate the wins and tell a personal story about why the legislation makes a difference in your life. Use value words like freedom, protection, opportunity, community. Call out the villain who holds us back, distracts us, and fuels hate. Share your hope and vision of the future: clean air, safe water, reliable healthcare, and the ability to save for retirement. To learn more about how to frame your narrative check out these resources: https://www.wemakethefutureaction.us/resources.
We are the architects of Michigan’s future. Be the dog, not the frog. We own the future when we run like hell toward freedom.
There are barbarians at the gate of democracy, and we must not be distracted by school board fights, attacks on marginalized groups, or bans on books. Unleash your power of truth and embrace our freedoms. Truth-telling means owning the story, calling out villains, and messaging for our future.
