Protect our democracy
Our democracy and the “American Dream” are intertwined in a metaphorical kind of umbilical cord that has been kept alive by patriots over the ages since the formation of our democratically elected republic. The sort of men and women that are often cited as “profiles in courage” who have put their personal lives on the line and their nation’s protection as top priority, deserve our eternal gratitude. Unless and until the community of voters has access to unobstructed and complete use of the power of their voices through fair and free elections our country’s democracy will be in peril.
The recent celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day should remind us all of the much overdue time for defending the sacred right to vote, and for the passage of legislation protecting that right for all of our diverse communities connected by a love of our imperfect experiment in self-government.
It is becoming apparent that accountability for the mob attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 is moving inexorably toward justice for all levels of persons involved in the planning for that disgraceful event. I have long believed that citizenship is a team sport that involves accepting defeat in the same vein as victory. The fact that the peaceful transfer of power was so unceremoniously dishonored will go down in history as a huge stain on our national pride.
I could sympathize with the part of our community that seems most receptive to steps toward autocracy, since it has historically been alluring to see Populism as an alluring answer to disillusioned and weary populations around the globe. Citizens lured by promises to allow them to reacquire some mythical “rightful place” is a recipe for a slippery and sure loss of a few rights and protections and the eventual loss of the right to vote in a meaningful way. Populism has led to the formation of “illiberal democracies” in countries like Hungary, and it can happen here if we surrender our belief in universal suffrage for all registered voters.
— Michael P. Gaul/Vallejo