Tag: democracy

I imagine democracy as a one-way freeway headed for the future. The vehicles on that freeway carry inspired concepts such as, freedom of many kinds, inclusion of all persons, equality and justice for all persons, citizenship, civility and mutual respect, consent of the governed, voting rights for all citizens, minority rights and personal and social responsibility.

Just as churches offer their facilities as polling places, religious believers should step up and become poll workers. They should do it with a firm conviction that discrimination, lying and stealing are sins in any circumstances, and making it difficult for some people to vote, stealing votes and lying about election results are especially serious sins.

Constructive action is the key to changing the trajectory of these issues — informed, involved citizens getting off social media and actually getting to know one another, working together over time to fix a problem. To paraphrase historian Ernest Renan, ‘a nation is a daily direct vote,’ a desire to continue living together in solidarity and a recognition of our shared past.

Lincoln acknowledged “the great task remaining before us,” but predicted “that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Black lives, other lives, began to matter. The life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness we all are entitled to had begun to be recognized.

During his inaugural address, Joe Biden made the bold claim: "Democracy has prevailed." Not to be a party pooper, but isn't the jury still out on that one?

We, participants in one of the world’s great democracies, were engulfed in chaos, violence and disregard for our sacred foundational principles and values. It is not who we are supposed to be.

At some point we must pay for believing that we are the source and protector of our freedom.