10/02/2020
Letter to the Members of the IATSE, Friends, Family, All
Regardless of political party, one thing that we all can agree upon is our civic responsibility and duty to vote. In the words of Barack Obama "You need to vote because our Democracy depends on it". My heart goes out to all our Members and their families who are struggling through present setbacks due to the pandemic. We all have experienced this current situation differently, feelings I think we can all agree on is the loss and stresses this has caused us all. I feel it’s not all bad though. The people have had a moment to catch their breath, awakening to the importance of our political process and have time to be more available to exercise our civic duties as an American citizen. During these hard times, more than ever, we look to our President and Stateswomen and Statesmen for leadership and guidance. During these times it can become more clear to us how our voting or lack of has affected the outcomes of various events.
Members and your families I am writing this to ensure you it has never been easier to vote on a Local, State, and Federal level. The deadline to register to vote is October 19th, 2020 and here is the link for voter registration in California if you haven't done so already: https://registertovote.ca.gov/ . Within this link are instructions on how to vote by mail or at the poles.
The IATSE is built on democracy. The people’s voice is what has brought us here today creating strength, safety, quality of life, and protection for members and citizens alike. Never forget the amount of hard work and dedication it took to put the members of this union first. Remind yourself that this same hard work and grit is needed from all of us to continue to progressively move this union forward into the future, this same notion applies to this great country we live in. "The most important office, and the one which all of us can and should fill, is that of a PRIVATE CITIZEN" (Former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court U.S., L. Brandeis). Citizens, Members, your Family, and Friends. Below is what we "GET" to do in this country.
RIGHTS
Freedom to express yourself.
Freedom to worship as you wish.
Right to prompt, fair trial by jury.
Right to vote in elections for public officials.
Right to apply for federal employment requiring U.S. citizenship.
Right to run for elected office.
Freedom to pursue “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Support and defend the constitution.
Stay informed of the issues affecting your community.
Participate in the democratic process.
Respect the rights, belief, and opinions of others.
Participate in your local community.
Pay income and other taxes honestly, and on time, to federal, state, and local authorities.
Serve on a jury when called upon.
Defend the country if the need should arise.
All of us want CHANGE, REFORM, PROGRESS in some capacity. This November I urge you to be a part of this election and do your duty as a citizen and a member of this union. Most of us understand the importance of November 3rd on any given presidential election year. Let's dive deeper for a moment and look into reasons all other elections happening throughout the year are so very important. Link to California state and local elections calendar: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/upcoming-elections/ Our vote matters most when? IN EVERY ELECTION FOR DELEGATES ON A STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL. What matters for a Presidential election year on Super Tuesday is all the elections that have come before this big day, elections for our 45 State Representatives and 2 Senators in the State of California which YOU voted for. Why does this matter? As most of you know the electoral college consists of our State's Representatives and Senators, and the party that wins the popular vote, YOUR VOTE, is now the party casting the deciding Electoral vote this December, though we usually know who the winner is by popular vote. It's rare a party's electoral vote goes against the popular vote thus the Electoral vote in December is less a news headline, more formality and little worry of a "Faithless Elector" going against the popular vote.
Those of you staying up to date and voting consciously for what you believe, in every election for local, state, and federal, congratulations, pat yourself on the back, encourage others to do so, you're taking care of a good bit of your responsibilities as a United States citizen and also exercising the power of your hard fought freedoms. You are keeping this country alive sending a message to your family, friends, colleagues, and the world that IT MATTERS! "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" Martin Luther King Jr. . The beauty of being a citizen of this country is the ability and freedom we have to be heard and VOTE for what we believe in. “See” you at the poles.
Thank you for reading. I composed this for our Local's newsletter. It applies to us all union or not union, this country is a union of people from all walks of life. Embrace everyone as lovingly and kindly as you can.
-Robert Exner
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