Don’t Hold Your Breath

Jarrett

The Supreme Court has announced it will be taking up a case concerning the Second Amendment. This is the one where a Federal Appeals Court struck down Washington D.C.'s thirty year old law prohibiting the ownership of handguns within city limits. The decision was appealed and I can imagine certain members of the Court fell over themselves to scoop it up. For a primer on the Second Amendment and the contentiousness over it, read some Lithwick. Considering how unabashedly right-wing the Supreme Court has become, I really don't think we need to wonder privately or aloud how this one's gonna play out. This upcoming election is not just about the next 4-8 years. It is about the health of American law and democracy for the next 50 years. It concerns whether we are to see the total dismantling of almost every progressive legal victory achieved in the last 50 years or if we are to move forward and build upon those achievements. To this writer at least, it is one of the most important factors in my resolve to organize for and vote for whomever becomes the Democratic nominee next year.

The text is from the poem “QUADRENNIAL” by Golden, reprinted with permission. It was first published in the Poetry Project. Inside front cover photo by Golden.
Get 10 issues for $19.95

Subscribe to the print magazine.