CivicSolve

Civic Meditation 112023: Grateful For Democracy

I was born in Oklahoma (aka Native America) proud of being of Black and indigenous descent. I also grew up loving Thanksgiving, because of the stories taught to me as a kid of cooperation and harmony between pilgrims and “Indians” after the pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock and were saved by the “Indians”, unable to survive their first harsh winter. My pride in my indigenous heritage led me to have a very challenged relationship with Thanksgiving after discovering the truth about the relationship between the colonists and indigenous tribes in this country.

My pride in my indigenous heritage became confused upon finding out that the two tribes in my blood line, Choctaw and Cherokee, were part of the “Five Civilized Tribes” and finding out later what it meant to be “civilized”. Being “civilized”, as a tribe, back in the 1800s meant to practice slavery. So, there is a strong likelihood that my Black ancestors blended with indigenous tribes after being sold to them by their original white owners. The history that came together to bring me into being, is rather complicated to say the least (don’t get me started on my white heritage – oof). Complicated as it is, if even one thing happens differently, I might not be here typing these words to you. This is all to say that I am grateful, tragedy and all, that my complicated heritage exists.

I feel the same way about the Federal Democratic Republic (FDR) that currently exists in the U.S. today. The history of our FDR is also complicated. Our FDR was born out of bloody revolution. Our FDR was created to the exclusion of anyone who wasn’t a protestant, land owning, white man. Our FDR’s founding document, the U.S. Constitution, is dangerously vague about some of our most important rights as citizens, including not exclusively securing the right to vote for all citizens. All of those issues are just about its creation and not even touching its current existence. Still, without our FDR, many of the things we take for granted, like freedom of speech and equal protection under the law, to name a few, would not be protected.

The ability for citizens to come together and fight for their equitable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, like the disability group out of El Paso, TX (Children’s Disabilities Information Council) that I’m consulting with as a civic engagement trainer, isn’t possible outside of a democracy like ours. The passionate dialogue currently going on all over the U.S. about our country’s role in the Israel/Palestine conflict, wouldn’t be possible outside of our FDR. Honoring marginalized communities like the transgendered with today’s Transgender Day of Remembrance, isn’t possible without our FDR. With all that is wrong in the world right now, I choose to take this time, during a complicated holiday, to be grateful for the gifts that come from our complicated democracy.

Dear reader, I am also grateful for you. Thanks for reading.

Civic Meditation 103023: Unlocking Democracy, 30 Minutes at a Time

Today, I went to my local polling place to fulfill the most basic part of my responsibility as a U.S. citizen, I voted. I had to get dressed, get in my car, and drive about four miles, which took about a combined 20 minutes. The polling place is a sub-courthouse, serving several functions along with being a voting location, so I had to look around a find the actual place with the voting booths. When I walked up and greeted the election administrators, I heard “Number three!”. I’ll assume the person who made the declaration noticed the puzzled look on my face and clarified, “You’re the third person to vote here today.” Another fellow election admin chimed in, looking rather sad, saying “We had 42 yesterday.”

From getting dressed to walking out of the voting location after voting, took about 30 minutes. 30 minutes. Now, stop for a moment and think about how many mundane everyday things you do that take you 30 minutes or more? If you’re life is anything like mine, that list is probably at least 5 – 10 things long. Now, look at that list and consider how of those things have the ability to make a difference like help retired teachers get a much-needed raise in retirement benefits, help communities be able to create new parks, help reduce property taxes for homeowners and help ensure reliably clean water for people all over your state? These are just a few of the propositions on the ballot for the constitutional election I just voted in.

This is the difference that, as of the time I went to vote, only three people before me (with the voting location already opened three hours) and only 45 people the day before, had decided was important enough to take time out of their day to do. Now, I get that depending on your circumstances (access to vehicle, physical ability, work/childcare, location, etc.) the act of voting is not nearly as convenient for others as it was for me. AND, living in Texas, where sports are on par with faith and family, I also know there are plenty of people who make time to watch their beloved sports team(s) play every week, but can’t be bothered to give some of that time to help others and maybe even themselves live a better life.

Before voting, I debated online with a longtime friend of mine about a professional athlete, I saw as using his platform to say some dangerous and ignorant things. My friend defended his right to say such things under 1st Amendment freedoms, which I whole-heartedly agree with, but I took it a step further, pointing out that 1st Amendment freedoms - like all other freedoms -come with responsibility when living in a civil society. It is detrimental to all freedoms we take for granted, when we only embrace the freedom, but not the responsibility. We each and collectively, are the key that unlocks democracy, but we must take the time and energy, even when we’d rather be doing something else, to turn that key, every chance we get.