An Invitation for America
- Phoenix Congress 2020 represents members of the American Union, who are willing to vote for both Republicans and Democrats in the 471 federal races who will meet our terms, including Donald Trump. This is part of a series of open letters explaining our legislative demands for the 2020 election.
September 15th, 2020
Dear President Trump,
Today is the 57th anniversary of the Birmingham Bombing. Four innocent girls–three of whom were 14, and one who was 11–were killed after four members of the local Ku Klux Klan chapter put 19 sticks of dynamite under the steps with a timing device. The bombing was described by Martin Luther King Jr. as one of the “most vicious and tragic crimes ever perpetrated against humanity.”
The bombing was the culmination of racial tensions and the violent political rhetoric peddled by politicians in Alabama. Violence truly begets more violence. That rhetoric, which was perhaps merely words in the minds of the politicians, spawned senseless death. Four girls, who were set to witness a new world with greater levels of equality, were taken from their families and communities.
Mr. President, this tragedy–and others like it–have been perpetrated throughout human history. Violence is a disease that destroys, and America is no stranger to violence. In 2020, violence has erupted in various places and with various justifications around the country. However, violence is not a solution to any problem, it is a problem of its own sort.
Americans can do better. That is why today the Phoenix Congress invites you, Mr. President, all members of Congress, and all Americans to join a fast for peace on October 15. Fasting has been recognized across the globe by religions and nations as a powerful model for nonviolent social change. While fasting as a religious ritual has been around for thousands of years, fasting as a tool for political activism in modern times is often connected to Mohandas Gandhi and his efforts in the fight for independence from the British.
After World War I concluded, Gandhi discovered the power of national days of fasting. The British had passed a new law, in the name of fighting terrorism, that stripped the accused of basic civil liberties. Searching for a way to demonstrate India’s opposition, Gandhi called for a national day of fasting on April 6, 1919, and every caste, color, and creed was united across India like never before. In the city of Amritsar, Hindus and Muslims marched arm-in-arm in the streets, even drinking from the same cups.
Regarding fasting, Gandhi once said,
Fasting is regarded by all religions as a great discipline. Those who voluntarily fast become gentle and purified by it. A pure fast is a very powerful prayer. It is no small thing for [hundreds of thousands] of people to voluntarily abstain from food… It ennobles individuals and nations.
Mr. President, the fast for peace reminds us of the founding fathers, and the compromises they made, as part of their dedication to duty. It’s time for our social contract to be reborn like a phoenix, rising up with a radical revolution of values. You can be the man to move us forward, to make the biggest deal America has ever seen and cement a legacy of leading America into a new era of prosperity, peace, and justice.
These are our terms. End poverty. End mass incarceration. End the endless wars. This is our Blueprint for a Better America; can you build it by October 30th?
Mr. President, the members of the American Union invite you, and all candidates running for office in 2020, to fast for peace on October 15th, in order to build a more perfect union. This fast is abstaining from eating food for a 24 hour period centered on October 15th; Gandhi recommend a dinner-to-dinner fast. This fast for peace is a symbol of the sacrifices we are willing to make to forge a better America for ourselves, our children, and our posterity; just as the Constitution requires of us.
This fast is a pledge. For all the candidates in the 471 federal races, their pledge is to pass the Blueprint for a Better America legislative package. For the American Union, it is a pledge to reelect the incumbents of both parties who accept these terms and work to enact this legislation by October 30th. If the incumbents decline, their challengers can get the American Union endorsement by participating in the fast for peace on October 15th, and our block of swing votes on November 3rd. Who will build our blueprint?
Mr. President, the Blueprint for a Better America is a solution to a multitude of 2020’s problems and offers a path through the gridlock of partisan politics. The legislation involves compromises from both sides of the aisle, but also allows both Republicans and Democrats to win on key issues. For some, seeing you earn a second term will be a sacrifice. For others, accepting new taxes will be a sacrifice. Through the shared self-sacrifice of the fast for peace, calmer heads can prevail in 2020.
Who will fast for peace?
Respectfully yours,
(You can read the next open letter here.)
Other articles on Medium:
A call to action around Martin Luther King, Jr.’s triple evils: The Marginalized Must Unionize in 2020
A look at our duties as Americans and the legislation they inspire: The Blueprint for a Better America
