The phrase has been running through my head for days. In trying to determine what it means for me, I went through a list.
Vanishing breeds of animals because of human activity comes to mind first. I keep seeing news about the absence of certain animals in the wild. They are hunted to extetion or their habitat is eleminated to clear forrests for hard woods, or to grow crops, or to build cities, road, etc.
So why does that matter? I believe that all life is connected. With the loss of one part of the circle of life, that circle is weakened. All life is threatened. That includes us.
Then I thought about losses closer to our lives. What happens to our democracy when those who support it are gone? What happens when there are no defenders of our Constituion? What happens when no one trusts the system that sands behind the Constitution? What happens when people no longer speak up for civil liberty?
Will we give up and embrace the autocracy, believing them when they say it will be good for us?
When no one believes that their vote is important, will there be anyone left to vote for supporting The Constitution and the rule of law? Will it really just disappear for lack of support? Will there be no one left to fight for human rights and civil equality? Will democracy become extinct?
Recently, I read the article "Madison vs. the Mob," by Jeffrey Rosen, in the October issue of The Atlantic Magazine. Everyone should read it and decide where they stand.
"These are dangerous times: the percentage of people who say it is "essential" to live in a liberal demcracy is plummeting."What does that mean for you?
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