Every day, ask yourself this question: What one thing can I do today that will make this democracy stronger and honor and support its institutions? It doesn’t have to be a big thing. And it probably won’t shake the Earth. The aggregation of them will shake the Earth.

– Benjamin Wittes

I have written some over the past year or two about the dangers facing the country. I have become increasingly alarmed about the state of it. And that Benjamin Wittes quote, along with the terrible tragedy, spurred me to action. Among other things, I did two things I never have done before:

I registered to protest on June 30.

I volunteered to do phone banking with SwingLeft.

And I changed my voter registration from independent to Republican.

No, I have not gone insane. The reason for the latter is that here in Kansas, the Democrats rarely field candidates for most offices. The real action happens in the Republican primary. So if I can vote in that primary, I can have a voice in keeping the crazy out of office. It’s not much, but it’s something.

Today we witnessed, hopefully, the first victory in our battle against the abusive practices happening to children at the southern border. Donald Trump caved, and in so doing, implicitly admitted the lies he and his administration have been telling about the situation. This only happened because enough people thought like Wittes: “I am small, but I can do SOMETHING.” When I called the three Washington offices of my senators and representatives — far-right Republicans all — it was apparent that I was by no means the first to give them an earful about this, and that they were changing their tone because of what they heard. Mind you, they hadn’t taken any ACTION yet, but the calls mattered. The reporting mattered. The attention mattered.

I am going to keep doing what little bit I can. I hope everyone else will too. Let us shake the Earth.