Given the rise of powerful anti-democratic forces across the country and across the globe, it can be all too easy to catastrophize about the demise and death of democracy. Trumpism and its cousins in other countries are true threats to democracy. So, while it is necessary and prudent for us to recognize the real danger these forces present, it is also necessary and prudent to understand that they have not yet prevailed.
Great leaders like Gandhi, Mandela, and King were persecuted for confronting similar forces and spent long periods in prison fighting for what was right. Presidents Lincoln and Roosevelt faced opposition that was both vicious and dishonest in their attacks against them. Non-belligerent citizens were beaten at lunch counters, sprayed with firehoses, attacked by police dogs, and suffered from the brutality inflicted by government agents as they demonstrated for their rights. Citizen soldiers froze at Valley Forge, were bombarded at Fort Sumpter, and hit the beach at Normandy to defend against the same type of threats we face today. And in the end, they prevailed.
Over the last several decades far too many of us have been lulled into a false belief and complacency that democracy is a given; a gift to us requiring little more effort than casting a ballot every couple of years. But democracy is not a given; it never has been. Democracy, real democracy, requires that we remain ever vigilant in its defense and be prepared to do our share to defend it when called upon.
There is much to be done. The Senate needs to be reformed and the Supreme Court needs to be restructured. Legislation needs to be passed to defend voting rights, combat the climate crisis, protect reproductive rights, and accomplish a myriad of other important objectives. Would those who fought so hard before us expect that all of this would come easy? Would they expect that anti-democratic, authoritarian forces would just acquiesce?
We do need to recognize the very real threats to our democratic system that exist. But we cannot give in to catastrophic views that all is lost, We will suffer some defeats, but ultimately we can still prevail. Like those before us, we need to roll up our sleeves and do the hard work that is necessary. It is now our turn to answer the call by showing up and making the needed sacrifices. Because democracy is not easy. It never has been.
Wow! With everything going on currently, I wonder which “ism” we are on now.