An Open Letter to Stacey Abrams

Dear Representative Abrams:

I wholeheartedly support your candidacy. Your election would be great for Georgia, and great for America. No candidate to my knowledge ever has faced a more blatant, corrupt case of vote rigging than you have. Your fight against the most despicable of Republican vote suppression tactics has been an inspiration to millions, including this Arizonan.

But should you fall short in the “official” vote count next Tuesday, please, please don’t get pressured into making a sappy concession speech or, worse yet, calling your crooked opponent to concede.

Eighteen years ago, Al Gore made a catastrophic mistake by conceding a stolen election. I hope you’re not faced with the same decision, but, if you are, please don’t repeat his mistake.

Instead, make an election stolen through vote suppression be the occasion that galvanizes a backlash.  Declare yourself the leader of the resistance movement, and don’t relent until future elections are made safe from corrupt Republican vote rigging.

Seems to me that the treatment you’ve received as a political candidate is no more fair than the treatment Rosa Parks received as a bus passenger. I hope if required to you stand as strong as she did. So far, you certainly have.

One last thing: I’ve suggested you spark a massive resistance movement against vote suppression if you’re not named the winner next week. You might consider sparking that resistance even if you are.

Sincerely,

Bob Lord