He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.
For some reason these words — part of the Magnificat, the oldest Marian canticle — keep running through my head when I consider the election tomorrow. At that historical moment when the second of the three great Abrahamic religions diverges from the first, the author of Luke introduces a scene of astounding audacity; a poor, pregnant, probably illiterate young woman as the confident messenger of a new society.
I chose to volunteer for the Sanders campaign with my eyes open, fully cognizant of the strength of longstanding organizations. I found that he’s drawing many idealistic former “lurkers” into the political process. The teacher who’s leaving her comfortable position at a New England prep school to teach in the Middle East. The graduate student who’s rethinking his career path as a military consultant. A young woman who’s worked for human rights in Afghanistan, and an older woman who’s just spent a week walking the highways and byways of the poorest parts of South Carolina.
Yes, a democratic and free society has to be constructed by hard work, dedication, and — sometimes — compromise. But also at its very heart is a radical vision. I can’t let my newfound friends and dreamers down. If you feel the same way — go for it. Vote tomorrow for Bernie Sanders.