Category: Democratic Foundations & Civic Life
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Words in the Wind
← Back to Democratic Backsliding & Authoritarian Drift Actions have always spoken louder than words. It’s one of those truths so fundamental it barely needs repeating, yet it feels newly relevant in a political era built on the opposite premise. Promises mean nothing unless they’re matched by deeds that prove them real. Assertions fall into…
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A Hard Christmas and the Courage We Need Next
← Back to Community Engagement Christmas 2025 is only days away, but for many Americans, this season feels heavier than festive. After a year spent struggling to stay afloat, countless families are entering the holidays with more worry than joy. Wages remain stagnant, often hovering just above minimum wage. Housing costs have soared so high…
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Silence Is Not Honor: The Dangerous New Doctrine of “Retire and Look Away”
← Back to Community Engagement Something deeply wrong is taking root inside the American military. It’s not about new jets or high-tech weapons. It’s a shift in thinking, a quiet betrayal of a core principle: the duty to stand up to an unlawful order. Instead, a convenient new doctrine is emerging: just retire and look…
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The Constitution Comes First — Not Trump
← Back to Community Engagement I’ve been listening closely to the elevated rhetoric surrounding the recent video recorded by Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D‑MI), former CIA officer; Sen. Mark Kelly (D‑AZ), former Navy captain and astronaut; Rep. Jason Crow (D‑CO), former Army Ranger; Rep. Chris Deluzio (D‑PA), Navy veteran; Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D‑NH), national security lawyer;…
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The Broken Contract: How Government Abandoned Its People
← Back to Essays & Commentary Our government isn’t an ornament of power, or a stage for political theater. It is a contract, forged between the American people and their leaders, built on the promise of protection and the pursuit of a better life. We consent to be governed not out of love for authority,…
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No Is a Complete Sentence—And a Moral Stand
← Back to Moral Courage & Public Responsibility “Just Say No.” It was once a slogan plastered across billboards and classrooms, a simplistic mantra meant to combat drug use. But the reality proved far more complex. Addiction is not a slogan problem—it’s a societal one. The streets, the prisons, the rehab centers all testify to…
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What We’ve Lost – and What We Must Not Surrender
← Back to Moral Courage & Public Responsibility ← Back to Essays & Commentary Sometimes I catch myself feeling like I was born in the wrong era. When I look around today, I barely recognize the world compared to my childhood. Everything seems driven by money and fame now – just look at reality TV…
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We the People: Our Rights Are Not Theirs to Take
← Back to Community Engagement The Constitution is not a gift from government. It’s a declaration of our authority. It is a compact among the American people, drafted by our Founders and ratified by representatives chosen to reflect our will. Local, state and federal governments were created by us; not to rule over us, but…
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I’m Proud to Be an American, But…
← Back to Moral Courage & Public Responsibility ← Back to Essays & Commentary I was raised to believe in the extraordinary promise of America, a nation forged by dreamers, fighters and visionaries who didn’t wait for permission to change the world. But Trump’s impact on American values has tested that promise, challenging the soul…