Yesterday, I published a Diary: “I’m Not Afraid, I’m Mad as Hell!” The response was heartening to say the least. I made the Rec List and Community Spotlight. I considered it an honor to have my humble diary read and appreciated by so many of my fellow Kossacks.
One Kossack tipped and rec’d my diary, but took me to task over a phrase, “Democracy is under assault…” Pointing out that democracy has always been under assault; which is absolutely true. Just as our country was getting on its feet as a new democracy, the Congress passed the infamous ‘Sedition Act.’ This act provided for the arrest and detention of newspaper editors and publishers who spoke out against what they believed were attacks by the government on personal liberty and democracy. Down through the history of our country, attacks on democracy by the very people that we elected to serve the people have been signed into law. I could list a whole host of examples, but I’ll just hit the highlights:
The Indian Removal Act which forced thousands of Native Americans off their land and marched them halfway across the country to Oklahoma; with many dying on the trip.
The Reconstruction Act, which instead of knitting a shattered nation back together as Lincoln had intended; engendered resentment and hatred. Some historians think that the Reconstruction Act’s harsh measures caused the backlash that was the Jim Crow era. As soon as the former Confederates got back in power, they repealed every piece of progressive legislation that had placed the former slaves in full citizenship. That second-class citizenship status lasted in the South until the passage of the Civil Rights legislation in the 1960’s. Officially, racial discrimination was outlawed. Unofficially, it continues to this day and God only knows when we will see a stake driven into the heart of this vampire that is sucking the lifeblood out of our country.
The unconstitutional imprisonment of loyal Japanese-Americans in World War II. Another attack on our democracy.
I could go on and on; but I think I’ve made my point.
This mess in Madison has sparked a renewed interest in the traditional ‘Working Class Heroes;’ Woody Guthrie, Joe Hill, ‘Fighting Bob’ La Follette, Pete Seeger and others. Diary after diary posts union songs not heard for decades. (God bless them every one!) Our heroes should be the hard-working men and women of this country. Sports figures, celebrities and the like aren't heroes. Your neighbors who bust their ass to feed their children and provide for their future, those are the real heroes in our society. Those young soldiers being killed or maimed, they should be our heroes. The rare politician who stands up and rages against injustice, no matter what the cost to his/her political career; that's who should be our hero.
I will close with this final thought: My title is actually a bit misleading. Perhaps it should read:
“Why Are We Having to Fight this Fight – Still?”
The answer is, we will always have to fight this battle; and if we go back to sleep, we'll see the need to fight for our democracy - Again and Again and Again.