Reverend Paul Brandeis Rauschenbusch

Just a few of my colleagues in that building on the other side of the aisle had the same dedication to their jobs, to their oath of office, to the Constitution of the United States.

His son, Marine Corps veteran Alejandro Barranco, couldn't be here tonight, but he sent me this to read to you.

What happened, he said, didn't just happen to an immigrant.

It happened to an American family.

Families across this country are living in fear, separated by a system that has lost its humanity.

We can protect our laws without abandoning our values.

We are here because America must be better, fairer, safer, and worthy of the people who believe in it.

We must take up the tools our founders have given us to protect our democracy and finish the job.

He will make it harder to register and turn out.

He may send ICE agents to polling places to intimidate our citizens.

He will cast doubt on the results when his party loses.

Our response must be to work harder, organize better, turn out higher than ever before.

We must view every obstacle placed in our way as a challenge to be overcome, with resilience, with defiance, as a gauntlet throw down that we must pick up.

The fight for our democracy is a fight worth having, for it is democracy that makes all progress.

possible, and it is a struggle we can win if we pick up the tools we have been given and finish the job.

In November, are you ready to finish the job?

In November, are you ready to throw the bombs out?

In November, are you ready to defend our democracy?

In November, are you ready to push back, to fight back, and to save this country?

Let us pick up the tools our founders gave us and let us finish the job.