Defend Democracy with Nonviolence—Count Every Vote
Like you, we’ve been watching the election results closely. As of this writing, it's still too close to call. And it may take days to count all the votes. Our message today needs to be: Count Every Vote.
What can you do today?
Amplify the message: Count Every Vote
Counter the false claims that Trump made in his 3am speech (see below).
Be prepared for nonviolent action (Check with Protect the Results).
On a bright note, nonviolence had a HUGE, undeniable win! Amid threats of widespread violent intimidation at the polls, thousands of people trained in nonviolent de-escalation with Election Defenders, Nonviolent Peaceforce, Meta Peace Team, DC Peace Team, and more. On Election Day, they showed up at the polls and assured that everyone could exercise their right to vote safely. This is an incredible victory and an unprecedented campaign to protect democracy with active nonviolence. It probably won't make headlines, but it is something to celebrate as we make sure every vote is counted.
Remember, we’re defending democracy with nonviolence in thought, word, and deed. Through this election and beyond, we can - and will - build a culture where peace, justice, truth, and compassion prevail. As Gandhi said, "When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it, always.”
Let's stay connected, focused, and, of course, nonviolent!
- Rivera, Ryan, Ken, Veronica, and the Pace e Bene team
—
About the 3am Speech - a note from Rivera Sun:
One piece of upholding the integrity of the elections is countering misinformation wherever we see it. Around 3am last night, I watched both candidates’ press conferences. Joe Biden accurately said that we don’t know the results yet. Donald Trump held a press conference (watch it here) at which he claimed he was winning, but the votes “mysteriously” stopped being counted. He called the election a fraud. He vowed to take it to the Supreme Court (that he has stacked in his favor).
We need to be clear: upholding democracy means counting all the votes. It means calling out false claims. It means countering misinformation. We can use nonviolent action via our social media and email lists to correct the misleading statements from Trump. If we don’t, many Americans will believe his misleading claims and imagine that if Trump loses, there’s a conspiracy against him. Countering misinformation is an important step in making sure that our fellow citizens respect the process of the elections.
I (Rivera Sun) was awake at 3am and fact-checked Trump’s speech as I listened. Even at that time, it contained numerous false claims. (Starting with “we’re winning” and going all the way to “they’re stopping the vote count” to keep him from winning.) Since then, his claims of "huge" leads in key swing states have been proven inaccurate. Continued vote counting has put Biden in the lead in Wisconsin AND Michigan. Election officials in key states are saying that it’s way too soon to tell and that hundreds of thousands of votes still need to be counted.
What do we need to do? Use your social media and mailing lists to correct misinformation, especially these points:
Make sure our fellow citizens know what’s really going on: votes are being counted. It takes time. It’s worth it.
Remind everyone that mail-in ballots are not a problem. Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner voted by mail. If their vote counts, so should everyone else’s.
Be prepared to take nonviolent action if anyone tries to undermine the vote count using the Supreme Court. We’re waiting to see if Protect the Results mobilizes the 400+ actions that have been planned around the country.
Want messaging tips? Hold the Line has a special section on this exact scenario: The “Commitment to Uphold Democracy: Strategy and Messaging Considerations from November 4 and Onward” will serve as a set of commitments and approaches to consider if any of the lines are crossed. This document reviews when we know the red lines are crossed, mobilization and nonviolent civil resistance strategies, and messaging. In the coming days, we hope you will turn to this document, to each other, and to us as we collectively work to uphold democracy.
Read and share the guide here: bit.ly/thepeopledecide
The Pace e Bene Team
Join the Nonviolent Action Lab
As we gear up to use nonviolent action if needed to defend democracy in the wake of the November 3 election, people throughout the Pace e Bene/Campaign Nonviolence, and Nonviolent Cities network are organizing nonviolent actions. The Pace e Bene team is here to help!
Need someone to brainstorm action ideas with? Want some feedback on something you’re planning? Pace e Bene’s Ken Butigan and Rivera Sun are here for you! Join us on Thursdays during the election season to troubleshoot your ideas for taking nonviolent action in defense of the elections.
Thursdays, Nov 5, 12, 19, 7:30pm-9pm Eastern // 4:30pm-6:00pm Pacific, Zoom
