Democracy Persevering
Democracy is under attack and is being undermined by extremists on both sides of the aisle. In my office, I have a portrait of Abraham Lincoln to serve as a reminder that we all must self-sacrifice for the greater good. We live in a time where the people are not putting Country Over Party and there is a deep divide. We must be brought back together. I remember after 9/11 - Americans stood as one. It was a time of deep sadness and loss, but Country Over Party. It should not take a negative event to end the divide allowing for respectful much-needed debates and conversations. It is ok to disagree, but the inability to talk and have a conversation is catastrophic to a healthy society. Our Democracy must persevere while facing a wave of disinformation and various types of diversionary tactics and dreadfully poor leadership examples from our elected officials. Corruption has never been higher. It does not make sense that a congressman worth $100,000 going into public office leaves his/her position worth millions. We are heading down a road that is defining an even more divided America and a future where the light of hope dims.
America has to change its trajectory. How do we get on the right path? PERSEVERANCE. I do not have the exact formula for the success of our country but I do know there is are two political figures we should look to as examples of the kind of leaders we need today. This is not just about leadership, but self-management. America is made up of over 300 million souls. Each operates independently yet is dependent on the other. Each person has to have their own internal perseverance system. People do the right thing when they have not just a good moral compass, but when they know they can “take the hit” and weather the storm after doing the right thing.
Bad times hit us all especially it seems like good people get hit the worst in life sometimes. What matters is the ability to get knocked down, then get up on one knee, then stand up - ready to fight again. I have personally been knocked down so many times in my life and some I thought were knock-out punches. What allowed me to get up every time was knowing my mission.
Each and every one of us has something to offer. It is critical we bind together in the pro-democracy fight we are all fighting in our own unique ways. I am taking a more public approach, but others are taking a more clandestine approach… Fighting for Democracy in the shadows. The public way is not necessarily as effective as doing things silently or simply trying to just help one person at a time. We need to take the time to learn from each other. Because conversations have come to a hault the learning process is stalled.
I have noticed in society that young people seem to think that the rich have the most amount knowledge and therefore the top 1 percent are given much more credit then they deserve. I actually had a billionaire (who will remain confidential) say to me “Why are you trying to learn from me? You can learn more from a homeless person. Go find people suffering and that is where you will find your answers.”
Persevering every day and doing our best helps strengthen our democracy. The saying from the Washington Post is very true “Democracy dies in darkness.” It takes every one of us to give it our all to shine light and expose the evil and apathy that will put us on the right road for a bright and wonderful future shielded by a Democratic process that our founding fathers risked their lives to pass down to our generation. We now have to make sure generations to come live as the founding fathers intended.
Please read this story of a man that us the definition of
Persevering
This man was born in 1809.
In 1816, at age 7, he was forced to work because his family was expelled.
In 1818, at the age of 11, he lost his mother.
In 1828, at the age of 21 he lost his sister.
In 1831, at 24 he opened his first business and went bankrupt.
In 1832, at 23he stood in the legislative elections and lost.
In 1833, at 24 he borrowed money to open another business and went bankrupt again.
In 1835, at 26 he met a wonderful woman. He falls in love with her, they get engaged, and she dies.
In 1836, at 27 he entered a dark period of his life: deep depression. He remains bedridden for 6 consecutive months. But he gets up.
In 1836, at 27 he runs in the legislative elections and loses again.
In 1840 at 31 he presented himself as an elector; he loses.
In 1842, at 33 he met the woman he would fall in love, get engaged, get married and she gives him 4 children and they lose 3 of them.
In 1843, at 34 he appeared at the congresses and lost.
In 1845, at 36 he appeared again at the congresses and lost again.
In 1850, at 39 his son died.
In 1854, at 43 he ran for the Senate and lost.
In 1856, at 45 he ran for Vice President, he didn't even have 100 votes.
In 1858, at 49 he ran again for the Senate and lost again.
And in 1860 at 51 ABRAHAM LINCOLN was elected President of the United States of America.
He was elected for two terms.
In 1865 at 56 he was assassinated in the beginning of the second term.
He was one of the most respected and impactful Presidents in the history of the United States.
It's important to know this story of perseverance because we see the hero, but we don't see his backstage of the afflictions. We need to accept our afflictions, no matter how difficult for we can overcome all!