Civic engagement

Exactly.

So that's really like we wanted to make something that could outlast 2024 or 2026 or whatever it is by basically being more about civic engagement.

in a democracy rather than this is like what you have to do in America to save our democracy right now.

So it's more

inviting people into the conversation, which I will say that we love here at DC Sources.

Something that we're trying to do is invite people into a conversation to help them feel more engaged and welcomed participants of our democracy.

But also just like you said, civic engagement is super important.

And I think a lot about the impact it may have on women who maybe aren't viewing themselves as super politically activated, but how to encourage them to be participants.

I know I've repeated that several times, but I think it's very important for all of us to understand.

Now, this is one of the reasons I believe civic participation is so important.

We cannot allow disappointment to become a permanent disengagement.

We cannot allow frustration to convince us that our voices no longer matter.

I think it's really important.

I mean, civic engagement And civic responsibility is kind of a founding principle here, too.

And, you know, you look at the Minutemen and the founding fathers, they weren't all most of them weren't professional politicians or military men.

I mean, most of they were regular people who took up arms and also went and, you know, advocated for our country and formed it.

We have done a lot.

And it is an AI-enabled civic engagement platform, sort of a central command tool, which should be used as the best friend of the mayor.

So it is designed to help municipalities communicate with citizens, but also improve public service delivery.

So the idea comes from a very practical challenge.

I'm under no illusions that a majority of Christians, especially white Christians, are going to wake up to the demands of justice and solidarity in our confessional situation.

But I wonder, again with Martin Niemöller, what would happen if we stood up, and if not most of us, even a remnant? If we could even get to something like a white Christian version of the 3.5% principle, where just that small percentage of us commit ourselves to ongoing nonviolent protests and serious civic engagement, I wonder how many vulnerable lives we would save by risking our own relatively safe ones.

Do we have the courage to speak out, not just against a fascist state, but against an apostate church? Will we find the strength to move past the facile lamentations of polarization and the paralyzing bonds of propriety? For those who have eyes to see, the crisis of democracy in America is now far beyond mere partisan differences or ideological polarization.

If the church is not to lose its reason for existence, we will need to stand with immigrants and other groups targeted by this regime.