cross-posted at Fairfax County Young Democrats Blog
not to be too cheesy by having my first post on the FCYD blog be about supporting the YDA, but I was inspired over the weekend, and scrapped my previous idea, which will be published shortly
Today, I made an investment in my Party and became an Operative in the Tomorrow Club YDA’s Donor Program. The Tomorrow Club is similar to the Democracy Bond program by the DNC
While I am a college student and only part-time employed thus can’t afford much, I committed myself to give the YDA $25 month.
This is the ONLY way for me to affect the country that I choose to live in. To be clear, I have a green card, but am still in the process of applying for citizenship and getting my right to vote. I hold Chilean citizenship, but we cannot vote from abroad due to the constitutional
changes by our CIA propped former Dictator Augusto Pinochet (he changed the constitution right before the referendum on his power, correctly assuming that every Chilean outside of Chile, would vote against his illegal hold on the country).
I have never voted in my life, this fact hurts my soul. I have spent incalculable hours volunteering for campaigns in the hopes that I could positively affect my community, state and adopted (if unofficially still) country.
I was at the massive demonstration on the Mall in DC, while there some reporter asked me if I was an illegal immigrant. When I stated that I wasn’t, the somewhat shocked reporter asked me, why exactly I was there. This was my response.
I live in Virginia. In Virginia, to do any errand at the DMV you have to prove that you are in the country legally. I did not know this the first time I went, and it was quite embarrassing to say that “I had left my papers at home”. I do not want to live in a country where
government officials say “Show me your papers”.
Anyone who has seen Schindler’s List or studied Stalinism, knows what kind of government has its officials ask it’s own residents and citizens to “show us your papers”.
On a separate but equal note, the idea of the Tomorrow Club is more than just contributing 25 bucks a month. I, like many young people, cannot give $300 a pop, but I can do $25 a month. That gives me the same donating power as “the big donors”. Well YDA recognizes that and gives you credit for what you give in a year, not just the size of each donation, but their cummulative effect. It’s also about young people getting together and supporting young people.
Please consider become a member of the Tomorrow Cluband tell us about it in the comments.
(psst…you don’t have to be under 36 to be a donor to the YDA)
Also, let me give a nod to my current favorite organization protecting American’s rights. It is Focus South Dakotawhich is leading the fight to overturn the unconstitutional abortion ban in South Dakota. full disclosure, I also happen to be a consultant to Focus South Dakota.