Let’s try to reignite a democracy that was nascent and gradually developing over 80 years ago when it was extinguished before reaching its full potential. Blocking its development was a national social investment in white supremacy and related biases that were used by politicians and others to further their goals of power through the control of the public message, government control and the manipulation of the pervasive caustic elements of the prevailing cultural. We are currently involved in a period in which this approach to power is being used to the extreme which may destroy what’s left of our democracy altogether.
I want to reignite a progress toward a democracy in which all citizens have an equal voice and can clearly see that their will is part of the local, state and national political conversation and legislative agenda. I want to reinvigorate a political culture in which every community understands how they can be involved in democracy through the engagement of all members of the community, and that the power of individual voice is projected through joint collaboration and coalition of the collective will of citizens. In these ways people can actualize the power inherent in democracy that are relevant to each community and all communities simultaneously.
My sense is that the power of the people is gradually disappearing and may disappear altogether should the autocratic ambitions of those pursuing this kind of political outcome are realized. I think it is important to create models of democracy that work to destroy white supremacy and other biases that politicians and other power brokers are willing to use to divide and destroy the national coherence needed to promulgate an effective democracy. People will only be able to weather the storm of lies and misinformation that create the controlling use of fear and hate, however, when they can realize and appreciate their ability to create the power of democracy in community. They will need to arm themselves against the fierce intention of those intent on controlling their lives and behaviors by erecting walls of trusted facts and community coalition.