What does it take to bend the Arc of the Moral Universe?

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” -- Martin Luther King Jr.

Consider that American history does NOT reflect the blessings of liberty automatically kicking in when the government of the new nation -- the United States of America -- was first established in the 18th Century.

Does power ever relinquish willingly? Consider Nelson Mandela's lifetime of struggle for equality.

The history of OUR nation is filled with struggle. However, the American experiment has provided a structure such that the struggle can be focused on the political -- discourse and debate -- instead of on violence.

Amendment campaigns are how we make the American vision of equality and liberty a reality. Amendment campaigns are how we accomplished much of what we now take for granted:

•  All people are equal.

• Every citizen of every gender, race and creed gets to vote and participate in our society.

• Women are equal and may vote just as men vote.

• The poor can vote, even if they don't have money for a poll tax. 

• Millions of men and women who have lived eighteen, nineteen and twenty years, old enough to die for their country in war, may not be barred from voting. 

• We can, if we, the people, choose to do so, enact progressive income taxes and not place the tax burden only on middle-class and working families. 

• We elect the individuals who serve in the U.S. Senate, rather than watch from the sidelines while corporate-dominated political bosses appoint them.

Not one of these principles was established without Americans working for and winning constitutional amendments.

-- Jeffrey D Clements, Corporations Are Not People, 2012

The arc will bend.

Corporatists will yield their power because WE, the PEOPLE will assert OUR rights.

We WILL end the War on Drugs. When we pass the Safer Arizona initiative, amending the Arizona Constitution, it will represent a major step in that direction and it will undercut violent drug cartels taking the market for marijuana off of the streets.

Additionally, we WILL Move to Amend the US Constitution to overturn Citizens United, reclaiming the federal government from Big Money.

The arc will bend, but not without focused political action to overcome cultural inertia.

History is on our side.