Reaction to Tyranny in Democracy

You can’t oppress if you don’t first hate and have violence in your heart. These forms of violence must be based upon fear that can divide and create the havoc that autocrats and oligarchs need to destroy any possibility of unity or coordinated action. The antidote to this violence is non-violence in the form of democracy. It has always been curious to me that we seldom if ever do this very well. We don’t teach people how and why to believe in democracy or love their rights and freedoms. I’ve asked hundreds of people of all ages what the Pledge of Allegiance means personally to them or what the Declaration of Independence, Constitution or Gettysburg Address mean to the way they live their lives. Almost none can give me much of any answer. We don’t practice a democracy that would counter the KKK because we have never learned where in our hearts to find the knowledge and belief to mount that defense and rid ourselves of the tyranny that attacks us from groups like the Klan.  This comment is in response to Opinion | From ‘Ku Kluxism’ to Trumpism – The New York Times (nytimes.com)