People respond to injustices in various ways, and sometimes, in the moment, it can be difficult to determine the exact right approach to force change, even as we agree the status quo in Georgia, with the passage of this bill, is unacceptable.
I don’t fault those who choose to boycott as an expression of their outrage because I believe it’s justified by the state’s actions, though I’m not yet certain of its effectiveness and recognize the pain it may cause to bystanders. The key is to focus on the reasons for the boycott and not on the boycott itself. We should constantly hammer publically on the provisions in the bill that justify our outrage, because I doubt the general public is aware of what’s in the bill.
Registering and educating voters, as Stacy Abrams is doing is essential and must be done, but the fact remains the Georgia legislature has usurped power from the counties to adjudicate close elections, reasonable to assume, corruptly. That’s an uncomfortable situation if you’re a Democrat or just believe in democracy.