I’ve been hearing from women all over the country and world who, like me, are devastated by the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, taking away the constitutional right to an abortion and undoing a half-century of precedent.
Many have asked what we can do in the face of this peril. And I have two words: Please vote.
Winston Churchill once said that "democracy is the worst form of government – except for all those other forms that have been tried.” The same might be said of our America's Democratic Party.
Democrats somehow manage to get the most votes and lose the most elections. Even when they win, they lose.
It could be argued that today's Democrats are too weak, too fragile, too woke, too elitist, and too disconnected from the realities of working Americans. And yet, the Democratic party is the world's last best hope against fascism.
We are up against an extreme, autocratic, anti-woman, anti-gay, anti-contraception, anti-freedom collection of fascists who dominate the Trump wing of today's Republican Party. They are a group who even refused to investigate the violent riots that former Republican president launched on Jan. 6 to overthrow a legitimately elected President.
And now, they are claiming control over your bodies, your health, and your life. They have also promised they are coming next to take away your birth control pills and potentially even what you do with another consenting adult in the privacy of your own bedroom.
To call Trump's Republican Party and Trump's Supreme Court extreme understates the danger these institutions pose to American freedom. They are fascists who have contempt for what 70 percent of Americans believe about Roe v. Wade, what 80 to 90 percent of Americans believe about universal background checks, and about what you believe about your right to control your own body and your own life.
So what does Donald Trump's America look like? It looks like a 13-year-old rape and incest victim being ordered by the state to have the forced birth of her rapist's baby.
That is where we are in 2022. And for all the Democratic Party's flaws, they are the only party that can stem this continued rise of fascism.
So here’s what we CAN do:
1. First and foremost: Register and Vote.
Work toward an overwhelming majority that can protect your body, protect your freedoms, and just may save your country.
Ask your elected officials and local candidates on where they stand on reproductive rights – and then spread the word. We need concrete promises to protect abortion access.
2. Raise awareness.
We need to de-stigmatize talking about abortion so it becomes normalized as part of the everyday conversation about health and reproductive rights. Have a conversation with your friends and family about why reproductive access is important to you.
3. Provide financial support.
If you can, consider donating to a group fighting for reproductive rights. Many of these organizations rely on volunteers and private donations.
4. Share your own story.
Many have no idea how common abortion is. In fact, 25 percent of women will have an abortion by the time they hit 45. Sharing your story, or talking about someone else’s, can raise awareness, reduce stigma and make others feel supported.
We need to fight — and vote with overwhelming force — like our lives depend on it. Because they do.
Mika Brzezinski is the co-host of MSNBC’s "Morning Joe" and founder of MSNBC's “Know Your Value."