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OUR || CHURCH Ministers & Staff Rev. Sinkford Blog General Democracy on Trial
OUR || CHURCH Ministers & Staff Rev. Sinkford Blog General Democracy on Trial
| Democracy on Trial |
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| General | |||
| Thursday, December 15 2011 14:54 | |||
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At the Unitarian Universalist Association’s (UUA) General Assembly in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., preached that when the church is doing its job it functions as a headlight rather than a taillight. A headlight pointing to greater justice, not a taillight protecting past privilege. I, and we, believe in the separation of church and state. It was our own Thomas Jefferson who penned the constitutional language protecting us all from the creation of an established church. From that grew understandings about limitations on the church in our political life. But the church does have a role to play, not in advocacy for particular candidates, but in helping name the issues before us and helping us all understand a morality that transcends the sectarian. The church can, if it chooses, help define the common good. It was the emerging Social Gospel movement that supported political efforts to correct the abuses of the Gilded Age at the turn of the 20th century. It was the Social Gospel “play book” that helped shape the New Deal. It was the prophetic voice of the church and the synagogue that undergirded the Civil Rights struggle of the 1960’s. I believe that it is time for the church to “come out” in favour of democracy. If you believe opinion polls, which are imperfect by nature but remarkably consistent, “we the people” are quite clear. Senator Bernie Sanders (Independent from Vermont), who seems able to tell more truth than most of our elected leaders, describes the consensus this way: “Our job is to simply bring to fruition what the overwhelming majority of the American people want. They want an economy that works for the middle class and working families and not just for the rich. They want everybody in this country to have health care as a right. They want to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. They want to move away from these gross inequalities in income and wealth.” But our political process seems unable to accept the wisdom and the wishes of the people. Every politician claims job creation as her/his top priority, but no job creation legislation is passed. Both the Tea Party and Occupy believe that Social Security and Medicare are not entitlements, but essential parts of our collective definition of the common good. Most million dollar income earners and huge majorities of the 99% support higher tax rates for the wealthy. Vast majorities support controls on the excesses of Wall Street and financial institutions generally. Where is the disconnect? Why doesn’t our law-making mirror the will of the people? The answer is “money.” Our system not only accepts, but requires and even celebrates “money grubbing” on the part of our elected political leaders. And if our political leaders are beholden to wealthy interests, how can they speak and vote for the common good? I have come to believe that fighting the good fight for particular issues, even when justice as I understand it wins, is not sufficient. We need to make our representative democracy work for “the people.” If we have to pass a constitutional amendment eliminating corporate “personhood,” let’s do it. Legislate public financing of political campaigns? Yes. If we need to stand at the barricades as state after state makes it more and more difficult to vote, I’m there. Change the process that allows “gerrymandering” of congressional districts to insure partisan results? Why not? Some argue that great wealth and democracy cannot co-exist. Perhaps we will find that to be the case and we will accept living in a formal system that looks like democracy, but in practice is designed to protect wealth. More than a few astute observers argue that we already do. Another outcome is possible, but if and only if the 1% and the 99% can find enlightened self-interest in preserving our democracy. The worst excesses of the Gilded Age were corrected by the political will of reformers like patrician Republican Theodore Roosevelt. It was Democratic patrician Franklin Roosevelt that led the creation of our social safety net, however porous we have allowed it to become. The worst abuses of racial segregation were corrected by white Southerner Lyndon Johnson. It is possible to make common cause. It seems to me that our democracy is again being tested. Let us work to make the test a fair one. Again, from Bernie Sanders: “Despair is not an option. I know you get angry, I know you get frustrated, I know you get disgusted. But we don't have the right not to be involved. ... And at the end of the day, the people will be stronger than the money.” May it be so. Blessings, Bill
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| Last Updated on Thursday, December 15 2011 17:00 |
Comments
What distinguishes it, for me, is the determination to opt out of the corrupt system that pretends to be a democracy while increasing inequity at every turn.
I am also encouraged that our church is taking an active role in the Movement (hear, hear, Kate!)
I urge UUs to move away from the two-party duopoly and actively start creating the new society we need.
Obviously, we must engage with each other to create the necessary alternatives. And we must be patient and open.
It seems to me that patience is one of the most difficult things for Americans to have and use. But we must be ready to help each other through very hard times and not give up.
I look forward to working with you, Bill, and with so many others.
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