Tag Archives: democracy

July 28, 2017

My Two Americas

By Frankie Wallace

It was there in the beginning, the difference was as apparent then as the hope surrounding the birth of a new nation, it simply wasn’t as pronounced.

Reason, enlightenment, and fraternity molded a set of ideals that we held up as trophies to be cherished.  Equality mattered and burdens would not be born alone. Progressive and liberal, these ideals ushered in a democracy that others would strive to emulate.

Juxtaposed against –

A rugged individualism founded upon Exceptionalistic worldviews that could easily become extreme. A conservative aspect, encouraged by the White Man’s Burden and it’s notion that might makes right, God blesses the subordinates, equality is secondary to desire.

Over time, the difference grew more obvious, more acute.

Civil War laid bare the disparity between Liberal and Conservative, opened the chasm, leaving a scar that still bleeds, still pulls at the slightest movement forward.

Great Depression drew stark boundaries between rich and poor, business and government, religion and democracy.

Civil Rights movements shattered any facade of achieved unity and drew lines in the social sand that a tidal wave of human compassion can not seem to erase.

Great Recession exasperated the breech between the haves and have nots.  Liberal notions of regulation and accountability conflicted with Conservative strains of government interference and free market religions.

Twin Tower catastrophe and solitary terror incidents test our resiliency. Democratic liberal trust sprinkled with caution is at odds with the Conservative instinct towards closure,  induced and fed by fear.

Today’s instant news, not always dressed in truth, allows identities to manifest reflexively, extinguishing the muse of compromise and equality so that Liberals are become heathens while Conservatives claim the only corner of righteousness.

Progress is deemed evil when static policy would rather prevail.

American dream, invented upon the foundation of unbridled  brotherhood, rendered a chimera under the influence of reactionary poses.

Liberal and Conservative.  My two Americas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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May 1, 2017

Deathbed

By Frankie Wallace

There’s not much we can do.

You and I can only wait at this point.

All chances of a healthy outcome have passed,

This is the end, this is the time to begin mourning.

We try and prepare, make certain that our

own houses are in order.

It is difficult, we don’t know what awaits us

when She’s gone.

There are the quiet whisperings of

those gathered round the bed:

“Wasn’t she beautiful in her prime?”

“Remember that time when…..”

“She was the top of her class.”

Respectful admirations morph into

consoling observations as we struggle

to find a way to justify Her fall.

“She was bewitched by all that money,”

Someone said.

“It’s true,” agreed another and then,

“But there were those who were out to

get Her deliberately, She didn’t have a chance.”

This statement weighed heavy in the room,

we all knew it was precise.

With nothing left to say, we watched Her breathe

and knew that as Her death approached, so did the

death of life as we knew it.

We reflected, each to our own, about how we could have

changed things, what we would have done differently,

where we were lazy.

And each to our own, took a portion of responsibility

for the ending Her life.

Outside, the dogs of greed bark and yip

excitedly at the smell of Her imminent death.

They too, have been waiting but with

a different aspect.

Knowing Her power is nearly snuffed out,

They are anxious to overrun our towns

and de-civilize our streets.

Their increased energy is felt inside

the room of Her deathbed.

A quiet sob breaks from among one of the visitors,

As it’s noticed that Her breathing has become labored,

Not much longer.

If we say goodbye now, can She hear it?

If we tell Her we love Her, will She sense it?

If we say we’re sorry, so very sorry for Her demise,

will She forgive us?

We do it anyway, mostly to succor ourselves.

Because watching Democracy die is deeply painful,

and the grief that awaits when She does, even more so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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January 22, 2017

Women’s March: Just a Start

By Frankie Wallace

I was in Chico, California, home of my university Alma Mater.   A few hundred were expected, a couple of thousand showed up, as was typical across the US and the world.march

I marched for several reasons:

As a historian I marched because I see the possibility of past tyranny becoming a present reality for our nation.  This worries me deeply.

As a mother I marched because I have three sons.  I desire a peaceful future for them and their children.  I wish for them to have the opportunities I had as a young adult (chances are they won’t get them, but I will still fight for them).   I want them to know that democracy isn’t about just voting, it’s about making your voice carry to the oval office.  And my voice along with millions of others did carry into the very core of our nation, manifested by this morning’s tweets.

As a citizen, I marched to be another warm body among the sea.  I marched to add one more voice to the chant “Rise up”.  I marched to demonstrate support for my fellow citizens who’s lives have been marginalized by our current President.

I marched because democracy is a gift, and we must work sometimes to keep it.

It was empowering.

When I got home and opened my Twitter and Facebook accounts, I was met by pictures and stories of people from all over the world who joined in and made it perfectly clear:  This is what democracy really looks like.    This is solidarity.  These are people who will not sit idly like a frog in the proverbial boiling water, instead they will jump out at the first sign of danger and warn the rest who might not notice the change.

The next four years can be a long time or a short time, but they will absolutely be a time wherein we must engage in our democracy as never before.  May the Women’s March and it’s peaceful tone be the first step, just the start, in this process.

There is work to do, fellow citizens.   Let’s get about doing it.

Yours,

Frankie

 

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November 7, 2016

Civil Grief

By Frankie Wallace

There was a time when we could count on civility.  There was a moment in our history when we could actually respect another’s opinion, maybe even weigh it against our own with no harm, and then move on without a grudge, without name calling, without hostility.   We enjoyed a rare exhibit of humanity when an election was over;  when the people had spoken, we accepted the outcome and went on with our lives, knowing that the constitution and reasonable compromise would prevail.  I was taught this in school and in church, and it was exemplified by my elders and former national leaders.

It’s become increasingly apparent that civility is a lost quality in our nation.  This should concern us all.

It began with the election of the current president and a remark from a senator that the commander-in-chief would only get ‘one term’.   It gained momentum when the house speaker in charge couldn’t (or wouldn’t) lead his cabal and a power play over the national budget suddenly became evening news fodder.   It culminated when a law, upheld by the checks and balances of the supreme court, was repeatedly voted upon for repeal (or parts of the law as some would clarify – either way, the inability to accept the high court’s decision  has marred our national landscape).

It continues with this election cycle.  We have witnessed some atrocious behavior towards one another.   We don’t respect each other’s opinion, instead we resort to name calling and vitriolic attacks on friends and family.   This isn’t civility, it’s anarchy.  This isn’t democracy, it’s tyranny.  This isn’t respect, it’s cynicism.

We.  Are.  Better.  Than.  This.

I understand there is fear, but there is peace with unity.  I get that there is lack of integrity, but we can have great confidence in reason.

We will elect a new leader tomorrow.  May we honor the votes, honor our democracy, and come together again at the end of the competition, under one flag, under one ideal and move forward once more as one –  because without civility, we  can no longer claim to uphold the torch of democracy and the “American Dream”.  We cannot exclaim that we are exceptional.

E pluribus anum.

Yours in peace,

Frankie

 

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June 26, 2015

Two Votes for Democracy! America, You’re Doing it Right….

By Frankie Wallace

This week, two big, huge, major, incredibly far-reaching Supreme Court decisions provide perfect examples of the discussion I began the other day with regards to the dual meaning of Democracy:

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Gay Marriage Nationwide

US Top Court Backs Obamacare

This particular meaning of democracy establishes equal rights for us as human beings simply because we are all well, human, and regardless of economic circumstances or gender of partner, we all deserve access to healthcare and recognition in the institution of marriage.   The Supreme Court’s rulings uphold the democratic ideals of ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,’ and consequently allow us to appreciate our democracy to the fullest extent of its meaning.  Way. To. Go.

Yours, Frankie

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