In dark times, it can be hard to find hope. This week gave us cause.
Early in my Army career, a West Point classmate confided in me that he was gay. Having served honorably in Iraq, his chief fear was not being sent back to a war zone but that he would be discharged simply because of whom he loved. Another classmate was actually discharged from the Army in 2008 for being gay despite honorable service in Iraq. This week, the Supreme Court loudly declared that this is just wrong – ensuring that no American can be legally fired from their job simply for their sexuality or gender identity.
During my first year in politics, a friend introduced me to an attorney who provided deep policy insight on how we might develop a fairer and more humane approach to immigration. I was duly impressed and asked if he would be willing to be part of my public campaign advisory team on immigration. He demurred, explaining that, having been brought to our country as a young child and with no memory of living anywhere else but America, he feared that he might be identified and deported if he served in a position of public advocacy. This week the Supreme Court held that the Trump Administration can’t capriciously change the rules and deport him and the nearly 700,000 like him. For the Dreamers who are attending our schools, working in our companies, serving in our military, and standing at the frontlines treating those sick with COVID, this was much needed assurance that they are as American as every one of us.
And here in Virginia, the Governor declared he will work with legislators to make Juneteenth, celebrating the arrival of news of emancipation to the last corners of the United States in 1865, a state holiday. While this symbolic gesture alone doesn’t erase 400 years of history or fix systemic racism, symbols matter, and we will now have a yearly reminder in Virginia of where we’ve come from and an opportunity to reflect on whether we’ve made the progress that we need.
Each day our office is fighting to ensure that those who have been directly impacted by the pandemic have access to unemployment, healthcare, food security, and a roof over their heads. We are working with the Governor’s team on the vexing challenge of safely reopening our economy and our schools. We have so much work still to do, and, with so many challenges ahead of us still, the path ahead can look bleak. Yet this week has offered a ray of sunshine, cause for hope, and some assurance that as Dr. King eloquently said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”
While I primarily wanted to share my reflections from this week, I also wanted to convey important information regarding our Commonwealth’s reopening plan. Although Virginia will not enter Phase 3 quite yet, Governor Northam outlined the following features of the next phase of Virginia’s reopening:
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Removal of the caps on capacity from previous phases in bars & restaurants
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Gyms & pools may operate at 50% capacity
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Entertainment facilities may operate at 50% capacity
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Gatherings may include up to 250 individuals
Face coverings will remain mandatory in indoor public places, and safer-at-home teleworking and physical distancing guidelines remain the same. COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to climb in Virginia, however, the positivity rate from testing has declined.
I hope you have a meaningful weekend, and that you join me this Juneteenth in reflecting on and honoring the trailblazers for equality and justice — past and present — today and moving forward.
Warm Regards,
Dan