by Charesha Barrett
Happy Democracy Day!
Democracy is a system of government in which sovereign power is vested in the people. The word derives from the Greek word, demokratia; demos which means “people,” and kratos, which means “rule, strength.” Although many state that the first democracy was in Athens, Greece, in recent years, other scholars are countering that claim.
There are two types of democracies: direct democracy and indirect democracy. Direct democracy is a typically pure democracy; the people come together to make the laws for their community. In large communities such as cities, states, and provinces, gathering all constituents in one meeting place is impossible. So instead, countries like the United States practice indirect democracy or representative democracy, where individuals elect fellow citizens to represent them in making decisions on the local, state, and federal levels. The City council, General Assembly, and Congress are the legislative branches of the United States. Congress makes the laws on the national level and is bicameral: House of Representatives (435 members) and Senate (100 members). There are 100 senators, two from each state every six years. The House of Representatives is elected every two years with states losing or gaining seats every ten years based on the population results on the census.
The Enlightenment Period influenced the United States government system. Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Thomas Paine, and John Adams wrote the Constitution, which is the most important historical document in this country because it serves as the foundation of our democracy. The Constitution comprises three parts: 1) The preamble, 2) the Bill of Rights, and 3) the Seven Articles.
The preamble states the reasons why the founding forefathers wrote the document. We the People, the introductory statement of the Constitution, only applied to white men.
The first ten amendments of the Constitution are called the Bill of Rights. The first eight amendments provided all citizens with fundamental rights and freedoms. It provides citizens these five freedoms: 1) freedom of speech, 2) freedom of the press, 3) freedom of petition, 4) freedom of religion, and 5) freedom of assembly.
The Fifth Article allows Congress and states to amend or make changes to the Constitution if society requires, like the passages of the 13th amendment that abolished slavery, the 14th amendment provides citizens equal protection under the law within the states they reside, and the 19th amendment granting women the right to vote.
The first three articles explain the three branches of government influenced by Enlightenment philosopher John Locke’s ideas about the separation of powers. He believed in the separation of powers to prevent the tyranny of the majority: 1) judicial, 2) legislative, and 3) executive.
Although the U.S. Constitution is a living document, it can die. Constitutions do not protect countries from dictatorships. Countries that were once democracies are now dictatorships. In 1977, the Soviet Union’s Constitution contained more detailed rights than the United States. Just because rights are in the principles of the document does not force the government to honor them.
With the overturning of Roe v. Wade by Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, many feel their rights are being chiseled away. They believed that an almost 50-year precedent would last forever, and they could make decisions about their private lives without government interference. The ruling brought Roe v. Wade back to the states and triggered 13 anti-abortion laws.
The tenth amendment limits the power of the federal government.
In his letter to the Danbury Baptist Association of Connecticut in 1802, Thomas Jefferson mentioned the “separation of church and state” principle. Most of the founding fathers were Protestants, and the association members like the Quakers and Baptists were worried that the Constitution did not go far enough in protecting their rights from an overreaching government system. Here is an excerpt of Jefferson’s letter:
“Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.”
Democracy requires ongoing civic participation. To maintain a healthy democracy, citizens must practice courage and action. Our democracy is very fragile and subject to breaking if we do not start uniting as one.
Based on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, citizens’ rights and responsibilities are as follows:
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Support and defend the Constitution.
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Stay informed of the issues affecting your community.
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Participate in the democratic process.
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Respect and obey federal, state, and local laws.
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Respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others.
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Participate in your local community.
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Pay income and other taxes honestly and on time to federal, state, and local authorities.
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Serve on a jury when called upon.
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Defend the country if the need should arise.
In addition to the rights and responsibilities listed above, regardless of your location, these are some best practices that you can use to uphold your country’s democracy:
VOTE DURING ALL ELECTIONS.
I believe that Election day should be a national holiday. Do not just vote for the presidential elections but for local and state elections too. The state and local elections directly affect you—advocate for free and fair elections for all. Vote for candidates committed to upholding the Constitution and protecting voting rights. Redistricting congressional maps tend to favor one party over another and substantially affects the socioeconomically disadvantaged and people of color. A democracy that denies access to some denies access to all.
Diversify your media consumption.
Gather information from various types of media: TV, magazines, the Internet, books, video, and radio. Ensure that the sources are fair and unbiased to make better decisions concerning candidates.
Your voice matters. Make elected officials accountable for their actions. Under the first amendment, you have the right to share your opinions with elected officials about the issues affecting your communities in person or in writing.
Get involved.
Stay abreast of the current events affecting your country and the world. Run for public office or volunteer for a campaign—research candidates’ stances on different issues before electing them.
“Alone, we can do so little; Together, we can do so much,” Helen Keller.
Practice interdependence. Share your talents and knowledge with local organizations and community projects. We do not just exist for ourselves, but to serve others too.
Become an informed citizen.
If you are unfamiliar with the inner workings of how your government works, then read and participate in lessons on civic education.
Practice acceptance.
Latinos will be the minority-majority. We have to move from practicing monolithism to practicing inclusion by respecting each other’s differences in opinions, religions, and cultures.