First responders

for democracy

Spa Creek is deep blue and busy this afternoon, a sight for sore eyes.

The two water taxis I saw earlier this afternoon were such a surprise as the first journeys on our waterway last year were in early May. Yesterday’s tulip is fully open —oops, third water taxi in view—so Spring’s arrival on Wednesday will coincide with plenty of pollen and folks rarin’ to get outside.

A former colleague posted about an organisation, SavingDemocracyUSA.com, this morning which focuses on reviving and reinforcing civic responsibility. No, I don’t pretend I know everything about them but yes, I love love love love the idea. I am psyched to see them succeed.

My colleague served at the Intelligence community for 42 years where she notes proudly she was ‘non-partisan’, a condition I believe in so fervently. We who served you the public, whether a Navy enlisted woman or a U.S. Census Bureau door-to-door canvaser or an Air Force general officer, ought be non-partisan because we don’t serve one party or the other but we serve the entire nation. Public service is just that as she notes. The overwhelming majority of people I know feared partisanship not only because the Hatch Act prohibited engaging support for one party over the other but because they were servants of the public.

My colleague proudly joined the Board for the organisation, referring to those involved as ‘First Responders for Democracy’. What a cool concept in an era where far too of our neighbours, our friends, our relatives, and especially our kids know so little history or government basics like jurisdictions or election cycles. I would add geography to civic literacy to prevent a repeat of an experience early in my teaching career. I had a student at Ithaca College on election day 1984 who not only did not believe Idaho was really a state but wanted to know when her state’s polls closed. She said she knew she lived in a different state from Ithaca. When I asked what state she was from, she said without hesitating ‘Long Island’. (insert massive cringe here). Basic budget literacy would be supremely helpful. This stuff matters a great deal.

This organisation says its ambition is supporting civic literacy. I wrote an ACC column about two months ago responding to a loyal subscriber’s question from California about becoming involved in our system. I am pleased that SavingDemocracyUSA.com has several recommendations paralleling my own: be an educated consumer of news rather than looking just for the sensational; asking that we enhance our critical thinking skills; being educated about the candidates for whom we offer our most valuable votes; continuing to follow what happens after we elect people to office; and being involved with more than just a one-and-done attitude about who and what and how we run this country.

The organisation lists its officers and founders. As a 501 ©(3) not-for-profit under the Tax Code, they must release names of officers and contributors when asked rather than hiding behind the veil of ‘dark money’. I note the names are not all folks from one part of the country (though it originated in Florida) but have a wide background in areas relevant to conceptualising and organising a not-for-profit and non-partisan group. The website lists bi-laws, accountability, and a speaker’s bureau on relevant themes rather than on single campaigns. The only person I know is my former colleague Kathleen but I am happy to see more than political scientists alone or lawyers.

Perhaps most importantly, SavingDemocracyUSA.com offers resources for how you and I can become involved as advocates for civic literacy. I haven’t seen all their materials but look forward to the specifics of their enterprise as I clearly have my own thoughts of what is lacking in our public discourse. Note that saving is an active verb rather than a passive one.

I confess I may be disappointed in the group when I know more but exploring it today has been a dose of welcome optimism. I crave seeing people excited about our country, our system, and our leaders to ensure we are motivated to assure a better future. I firmly believe and have advocated through this column that we have so much more power than we have believed but it is up to us to use it effectively.

What are your thoughts on civic literacy? What specific steps do you advocate and why? What are each of us willing to do to ensure we make progress towards preserving our cherished and oft-cited civic aspirations? Specifics would be great and welcome!

Again, any thoughts on an audio summary of this column? Any interest in reviving our webinars on hot topics? A discussion forum fortnightly perhaps? I am keenly listening.

I wish you a fun St. Patrick’s Day. Be well and be safe. FIN

‘Saving Democracy USA’, retrieved at https://savingdemocracyusa.com/