We Are Not a Minority
Supermajority!
They call us minorities and treat us as less deserving, but we are not. Women and people of color make up 70% of the US population. We are the vast majority. Add to that number some of the other American citizens who are labelled minorities – LGBTQ+, physically handicapped, mentally challenged, emotionally challenged, seniors, those with addictions, previously incarcerated people, the poorly educated, single parents, and those who lack physical addresses – and we are far more than 70% of the US population. We are a Supermajority.
What is a Supermajority?
A Supermajority is a portion of the voters so large it can override a veto, amend the constitution, or expel a member from a legislative body like congress or the presidency. A supermajority is required for major decisions to ensure they are made by broad consensus and thus protect minority rights by preventing a simple majority from overriding the rest.
The current administration came into power with just under 50% of the vote – not even a simple majority. Why should we allow them to make fundamental changes when we have a Supermajority of the population?
We have the numbers to shape our world.
What should we do with those numbers?
If we support each other and elect leaders who represent our majority population we can change the laws. Join a political party that supports the majority of Americans: that’s us! We can make our voices heard. Hint: that party is not the Republicans.
We can make ourselves heard at every level of government – not just the president and congress. We can change out state laws which cover things like state taxes; abortion; voting rules; traffic laws; infrastructure improvements; salaries for teachers, police, fire fighters and other civil servants; state parks and recreation; and landlord tenant rules. Which party has your back?
We can make a difference locally. County laws cover everything from zoning to building codes and noise control. Our elected county leaders decide on public safety issues including the abundance of ambulance services, police, and fire fighters. They decide on ordinances about garbage and water use. They create leash laws. The electorate is small enough that a handful of local votes can change who wins an election. Be one of that handful that votes.
Don’t let “them” take away our voice.
We elect school boards, mayors, county clerks, sheriffs, and more. We can affect these elections and we can influence our elected officials in office with phone calls, letters, petitions, protests, and hearings.
Beyond politics, if we think of ourselves as powerful, we can use our spending power to support our majority population. Pay attention to where our dollars go. There are phone apps that can tell us which corporations donate to what political party, which companies support minority businesses, which banks help local needs, who is environmentally conscious, and who to avoid. We can influence our world with our pocketbooks.
If we understand our power we can support our community. Volunteer at a local food bank, coach a soccer team, pick up trash on a hike, or help a neighbor unload her groceries. Little things add up. And we have the numbers to be effective. There are so many things we can do to make the world a better place.
We should not allow anyone to treat us like minorities who have to submit to a more powerful group. We are not a Minority.
