Here are three quotes worth remembering and thinking about at this time. The first one, I believe, comes from Alexis de Tocqueville's book titled, “Democracy in America.” Writing in the 1840s, this astute French observer said: “America is great because she is good. If she ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.” What did de Tocqueville mean by America being “good” and “great?” Students of American history and government should read his two-volume book.
If I am not mistaken, religion and morality were two of the reasons de Tocqueville called America, “good.” He considered Americans to be a religious people and, for him, religion was the main basis of morality. In my previous column, I suggested that we are living in a post-truth, post-facts, post-reality, even a post-democracy, world. Maybe we are living in a post-religion or post-Christian world, as well. If one visits churches in America and elsewhere, one often finds services sparsely attended, mostly by older people (people in their 60s and over); very few young people under the age of 30 are attending worship services on a regular basis. Why is this?
A number of factors are contributing to this trend. Leaders of various Christian churches disagree on which teachings are essential. Some churches focus on homosexuality, same-sex marriage and abortion. Other churches emphasize peace and social justice issues. The clergy sexual abuse/pedophile scandal has driven people away from the catholic church. Religious people also are sharply divided in their opinion of President Trump and his policies. So, young people seem to be losing faith and trust in both their religious and secular leaders.
Recently, millions of people watched the Congressional hearings in which Michael Cohen, President Trump's former fixer and personal lawyer, accused Trump of lying on numerous occasions. Likewise, the Republican members of the committee accused Mr. Cohen of lying. Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md., closed the meeting by declaring that, “We are better than this,” and advising that, “We need to get back to normal.” We sure do. We need to get back to honesty, mutual respect, compassion and exercising the responsibilities of citizenship in a democracy.
The second quote is from President John F. Kennedy (1961-63), who said: “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.” Here's what that means today. It means paying workers a living wage ($12-$15/hour), plus paid sick leave and vacations, plus paying into Social Security or other retirement systems. It means affordable health insurance for all. It also means that we are a nation of laws, that no man is above the law, and that there is, “Equal Justice Under Law” (inscribed on the front of the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.); it means a society based on individual liberty and equality. Finally, it means a fair tax system which minimizes the extremes of abject poverty and great wealth.
Deaths due to drug abuse and suicide are on the rise in our country. This indicates that more people have lost hope and are in despair about the future. The family is essential to the stability and health of any society. Government at all levels should enact laws which strengthen the family, not weaken it; policies which make it easier for parents to raise children who are healthy, responsible, moral, and who will become law-abiding, productive members of society.
In the third quote, Kennedy said: “All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talents.” Each of us has God-given talents which we are expected to use and not waste. Every person should strive to become the best that he or she can be. However, economic upward mobility in the United States now is lagging behind other developed countries – especially in Western Europe, Scandinavia and Canada. Education is the key to upward mobility. It is also a key to the good life. A quality education should be available to every American, regardless of who they are or where they live. So, faith, education, and leaders who put the common good before partisan politics or personal gain, are what we need. Then, America will be great again.
