“We have to excise a malignant cancer from the body politic. But that’s just the beginning. Real politics is what you do before and after you push the lever. You have to keep your shoulder to the wheel: engagement, activism, organizing – that’s what will make the difference.” The following statement by Noam Chomsky was included at the conclusion of “Don’t (Just) Vote” the latest single by singer-songwriter Cass McCombs.
The song is an update of the tune “Don’t Vote” off McCombs 2009 album Catacombs. McCombs made the following statement concerning his motivation for reworking the tune: “I was compelled to write something for the election and I thought of no better way than to troll myself, laying waste to a much-misunderstood song of mine from over a decade ago, ‘Don’t Vote.’ Most people never made it much further than the title, anyway. For this new song, ‘Don’t (Just) Vote,’ the message is clear: Vote, yes, but when you do, imagine the world you would like to see, beyond what appears on your ballot. Harness your imagination and justice becomes inevitable.”
Voting is now closed for the US presidential election, and it may take a few days (or longer) to know who won. But as pointed out by the song and the closing comments by Chomsky, whatever the result much work still needs to be done.
If Donald Trump wins you still have a cancerous presence that needs to be resisted. If Joe Biden wins you have a status quo politician who doesn’t support universal healthcare and doesn’t do enough to address issues such as income inequality, mass incarceration, police brutality, systemic racism, and climate change.
Intuitional injustices don’t miraculously go away with the results of an election. Real change is going to come from people making their voices heard and holding those elected accountable.