We assume that democracy was granted to us by a creator and is irrevocable. Rot! Democracy was granted to us by the powerful, exists in the spaces between contending powers and is revocable when they unite and when they have methods of ensuring social and economic stability such as beguiling you with high-tech toys.

Society was once ruled by feuding tribal chiefs. To reduce conflict, they unified under feudal lords who consolidated into empires, indulging themselves and funding their wars by taxing the people. The early Christians were socialists (accepting responsibility to be their brother’s keeper) and condemned concentrated power, thus threatening the status-quo. Modern power centers are the government, the military, businessmen, the churches, an independent judiciary and a free press.

Eisenhower alerted us to the military/industrial complex threat. Our business friendly government moves closer to industry with the Citizens United Decision. The churches depend upon wealthy members’ contributions to finance their buildings and their charities. Afraid to antagonize the hand that feeds them, churches accept free market cannibalism. To quiet your discomfort, the churches offer a social gospel doing good on your behalf and relieving you of responsibility for direct action. Our judiciaries independence is questionable and the press, their criticism muted by dependence on advertising revenues, is dying. The survival of your democratic freedoms depends on you.

Don’t limit your patriotism to pledging allegiance and displaying bumper stickers. Use your freedom to build something bigger than your bank account. Insist upon maintaining the constitutional separation of powers. Government support of faith-based initiatives blurs boundaries. Why do government agencies have chaplains? The attempt to convert our army into Christian soldiers (apparently abandoned) is a throwback to the crusades. Presidential signing statements substitute executive power for poorly drawn and underfunded legislation.

The democratic citizen can hope to hold divided powers accountable. How can one demand accountability from an all-embracing Orwellian system?

 

John E. Gibson

Albert Lea