Solidarity

One of the lessons(among many) our current Congress and Legislatures have forgotten is the lesson of solidarity. That lesson is as old as the formation of this country, and as recent as the revolution which began in Poland with Lech Walesa in the 1980s which began the crumbling of Eastern European Communist regimes.

Basically, solidarity is the concept there is power and strength in numbers. It was true for the representatives who were assembled to modify the Articles of Confederation. However, when they got together, there was a nearly unanimous agreement the Articles of Confederation were deeply flawed. In our day we might say, they decided to spend any time on revising the Articles was equivalent to putting lipstick on a pig. So, with great courage and inspiration, they set about to draft the Constitution and later the Bill of Rights. Was there opposition? Of course there was. Some indicated the Congress had betrayed the trust of the people. They had gone beyond the scope of what they were elected to do. However, solidarity ruled, the Constitution was adopted, and later the Bill of Rights.

Today, it seems to me many of our elected representatives or legislators are running scared. They are afraid of those who elected them. So, many are unwilling to step up and make bold choices, and lead with courage and foresight. I have mentioned before it appears the interest of elected officials is to get elected, then stay elected. Beyond that, constituent services is about all they do.

Yet, these are days which call for courage and solidarity. Courage because our nation is moving into an uncharted future where technological advances will test both law and privacy. We are moving into a era where nations may be run with different ideologies, but the ability to protect critical information and intelligence are constantly being assaulted. There are many who believe this is still a world where tyranny lurks around the corner often in emerging nations where one leader can move an emerging democracy toward totalitarianism. With increased air travel, we are learning that a small virus outbreak in a remote part of the world can engulf the world before some nations can gear up for combating the emerging pandemic. We will only see more of this as time passes.

So, solidarity is needed within our governing bodies. By that I mean there is a default willingness to come together to make the hard decisions that protect us and also allow for a maximum level of freedom and opportunity for all. Having done that, the men and women who represent us are willing to stand together against the arm chair quarterbacks and extremists who always demand their own way to the exclusion of other equally viable ways.

One of the founding ideas embodied in our Constitution I believe was the idea that “the many” could discern the proper direction or course of action often denied to a single leader. The tragedy is that governing has become toxic because of the extremists who now intrude into the governing process. Such extremism requires all or nothing. Extremism is never in the best interests of a diverse nation.

The culture war that has raged in America since the late 1970's has made some Americans less valuable, some Americans less significant, some Americans less worthy, some Americans expendable. As a nation of opportunity, we have had little regard for the poor, the marginalized, the people in the shadows, and those who have chosen lifestyles which offend us and our morals. However, in our governing bodies, all should have some representation and all should have a voice. Just because I don't believe or accept a lifestyle is no reason to negate the person who represents that viewpoint and that issue.

Solidarity is the goal at the end of the day in government. Coming together having worked together, compromised together, and offered solutions which hopefully will move the nation forward.