Democracy Lost for Words
The first song I ever sang in public was “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” by Samuel Francis Smith. It’s a catchy patriotic tune that’s in the repertoire of every American kindergarten student. We’d sing it after the morning’s ritual recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Our short bodies standing tall, right hands pressed against youthful hearts, wide-eyed and fixed upon the red, white, and blue of the United States flag displayed beside the blackboard.
My early indoctrination of American pride evolved into a more cognizant love for my country that has deepened over the years. I’ve returned from trips to China, India, Haiti, Mexico, and South America feeling blessed to live in a country that grants its citizens freedoms and liberties under its Constitution, unimaginable in many other places around the world.
The U.S. Constitution is the oldest and shortest written Constitution of any major government. The simple beauty of its language is its genius. As a lyricist, I am a student of words and fascinated by their inherent power to inspire and unite or disrupt and divide throughout history. Words cannot alter reality, but they have the power to shift the way people perceive reality. In this way, words are like weapons.
Throughout Tuesday’s presidential debate our standing president assaulted millions of us with a cacophony of words that shot rapid-fire without the moral constraints of honesty, dignity, or compassion on the safety trigger. Trump had us in his cross-hairs and maliciously manipulated words to deceive, terrify, and divide a nation.
The two most alarming words were “stand by” – his call to action to the Proud Boys. These simple words have unimaginable consequences for the survival of our democracy. Trump’s refusal to commit to a peaceful transition of power threatens to upend the constitutional order. Never before has a president undermined the most basic principles of our Constitution
There were also words left unspoken that must also ring loudly in our ears. We can not be surprised at Trump’s refusal to denounce the Proud Boys as a white supremacist group, although assessments of the organization from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as the FBI, consider them to be dangerous and a threat to national security. Trump’s defiance to speak against this group is how he empowers his base by amplifying a message of racism for his personal political gain. The group’s membership is now growing. They’ve heard the message to “stand by” for the possibility that Trump may just call on them in his hour of need.
The sanctity of our democracy is in jeopardy. At this critical time in history, it is urgent to recognize that our Constitution and the laws that give structure to our government must be safeguarded. As President Gerald R. Ford said, “Our great republic is a government of laws and not of men.”
There is far more at stake in this election than the issues prioritized by political parties. We must use our vote to protect and uphold the Constitution of the United States of America. The Constitution is a masterpiece of social justice. Nevertheless, any masterpiece can be destroyed in the wrong hands.