To say that the April 4th election results were disappointing would be a gross understatement.
Last night we saw what happens when the most powerful people and organizations in the state of Illinois work together to wrest control of the schools, libraries and local offices from the parents and taxpayers. The votes are still being counted but it is doubtful that the results at this time will be final.
Thank you to those of you who volunteered and/or donated financially to the cause. We were able to pull together a great group of candidates who were willing to put themselves out there “In the Arena”.
Our candidates braved the attacks of the state Democrats who labeled them “extremists”. These are our neighbors not theirs. Such shameful negative attacks served the purpose of vote suppression. Where and when have we seen that playbook in action? We won at the polling places with early voting and election day votes but lost the mail-in ballot campaign. We should all be proud of our candidates and our efforts to maintain our community values and we should not be discouraged.
Let’s take some time to dust ourselves off and think about next steps.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
― Theodore Roosevelt