We aren't going to sugarcoat this: This is a difficult time for anyone who cares about the rule of law. About common decency and common sense. About facts and truth. About equality and rights. Last week's election is a wake-up call: The secular community and the many communities we intersect with — those who support public education, LGBTQIA+ rights, women's rights, reproductive justice, environmental justice, science, and more — must pull together. As white Christian nationalists sweep into elected office from school boards to the Arizona Legislature to the White House, the battle for true religious freedom is more crucial than ever. As everyone in the secular community knows, there can be no freedom of religion without freedom from religion. Our friends at Lookout wrote that the rightward shift of this election underscores the fact that civil rights work is far from over. The amount of people who sat this election out, weren't paying attention, or were consumed by mis- and disinformation show the crucial need for community organizers now and in the coming years. We agree that pointing fingers and assigning blame isn't productive. Yes, we're all feeling anxiety, but we can take solace in building our community. Finding opportunities to get involved, making things better at a local level, seeking out causes you care about, volunteering your time, and supporting important community work can offer some bright spots in these dark times. Secular AZ will be here, pushing back against radical religious extremists in elected positions around the state. We hope you'll continue to stand with us, too. | 
