By Mildred Robertson
As this nation faces one of the most defining moments of its relatively young existence, Democrats are faced with a choice that may determine America’s future path. Enamored with our legacy of democracy, freedom and equality; America stands on the verge of losing all three. Just this past week we watched as our Senate bowed down to the whims of an aspiring tyrant when they chose to acquit him of impeachment charges brought by the House. When Trump stated that he could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody dead without consequence, many viewed that statement as ludicrous. But he and his republican cohorts have in fact stood in the hallowed halls of our nation’s capital and slaughtered our constitution.
Up to now, many Americans have taken our freedom for granted, and think that it will always stand. It is our prayer that it will; but it will take more than prayer to maintain the hard-fought freedoms won by our fore-fathers. Because of the nature of our democracy, it is imperative that we, the people, agree and stand on one accord as to the rule of law. We are finding that all it takes for our system to break down is to put someone in power who refuses to play by those rules. If we are to save our union, we must take back the White House and both chambers of Congress.
It is clear that the democrats must fight this battle alone, because our republican counterparts seem to be deaf, dumb and blind to the danger we face as a nation. If they were to look more closely, they would see that it is not about party; but about country. Trump is destroying the entire foundation of this unique experiment called democracy. But it appears that the majority of republicans cannot see.
Because of their lack of vision, it is even more imperative that democrats select their presidential candidate with clear eyes. We must lay aside all of our usual bickering and focus on what is best for the body.
I was devastated when Kamala Harris and Corey Booker dropped out of the race. I wish we still had the diversity of choices we had when this race began. I am not excited about billionaires buying their way into the primary. I am not sure that a gay man or a woman can overcome this nation’s prejudice to be judged on the merits of his or her platform rather than some other social or religious criteria. I am struggling to make my personal choice for who democrats should nominate as our standard bearer. But this I see clearly…those of us who want to bring back sanity to our government must embrace the will of the majority and fight for whomever is nominated as though he or she was our first choice.
In worship service on Sunday, the speaker spoke these decisive words that might prove to be insightful to us as we search for an answer: “Pray as if everything depends on God, and work like everything depends on you.” I believe that is what we must do right now as we search for strategies to reclaim our democracy. We must look to our fellow Americans to make the choices that will turn this nation around; but we must work as though the victory is not possible unless it is achieved by our own personal hand.
And, in fact, victory is not possible without our individual commitment to fight. We must face every obstacle…from an overly robust field of candidates, to gerrymandered voting districts, to voter purges, to voter apathy; all must be conquered if our union is to survive. The first step to that survival is for each individual person of conscience to focus on a collective victory and not a personal one. Each of us must make a decision based upon the greater good. It is the only way we will survive.
