I stood in line this week to cast my early ballot at the polling place in our small town. Across our state and across our nation record crowds have turned out to exercise their right to have their say in the governance of their nation. This unprecedented citizen participation in voting has been stimulated by a great political divide in our country.
I write this letter, from my Christian viewpoint, attempting to help calm the troubled social and political waters that divide our country at this time in history. I hear very concerned friends and relatives on both sides of this divide expressing grief for our country. One side utters the word socialism while the other retorts with the word fascism. I can feel weariness and sadness on both sides of this perilous divide.
Brothers and sisters who are depressed! Look at the history of this great nation of which you and I are blessed heirs. The divisiveness we are experiencing is but another example of the conflict endured by our democracy throughout the history of our nation—the worst of which was the War between the States, 1861-1865, when 620,000 Americans died to keep our democracy from being destroyed and to begin addressing the nation’s great sin of human slavery.
Our democracy — through blood sweat and tears — survived that most dreadful of attacks on its value for the American people. It came out of that ordeal stronger, tougher, and more resilient. Our democracy is — in my opinion — the greatest human created governmental innovation known to man.
Although at times tumultuous, this awesome experiment in government has served our country well for 244 years. No matter how the current election turns out our democracy will survive if we expend the effort required to make it endure.
To support the survival of democracy we must work to understand issues, develop the patience to respect people with opposing views, to continue to lawfully make our views known to the government through our representatives and to vote our conscience in every election. This citizen effort is vital to maintaining democracy. Our democracy cannot exist without it.
A democracy cannot long survive without hard working people, aware of the issues, who are selfless enough to care about others as well as themselves. Remember Jesus’ words, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
The principles of our democracy were laid down by our forefathers in the U. S. Constitution, a secular document describing how our democracy will operate. This document gives individuals the right to participate in the development and functioning of their government.
If we are diligent in applying our constitutional rights, vigilant in watching our government’s actions. and effectively interjecting our own views into the system, we may perpetuate our democracy for our children. If not, we can lose it in a generation.
