In his brief, but nicely crafted A Letter to America (University of Oklahoma Press, 2008), David Boren (former U.S. Democratic Senator from Oklahoma; current President, University of Oklahoma) cites a number of threats to democracy that he argues we are increasingly incapable of repelling. None of what Boren describes is new, but he weaves familiar issues together to make a compelling case for the critical need to change so we can reclaim and protect our democracy.
Let me give you a sense of Boren’s argument with some of his better quotes.
Boren cites the following threats to democracy:
Americans losing faith in the nation’s future: “It is ironic, given the current debate about immigration, that first-generation immigrants are far more likely to be optimistic about America and better lives for their children than are the rest of us.” (p. 13) (Although that may be less true in our current economy.)
Partisanship that elevates partisan advantage above the national interest (pp. 43+)
Special interests (enough said)
Disappearing middle class: Boren quotes Justice Louis Brandeis: “You can have a democracy and a society sharply divided between the rich and the poor, but you cannot have both for very long.” (p. 79)
Lack of seriousness: wasting time on “frivolous discussions about celebrity, sports, entertainment, and titillating gossip. None of these things will determine our future or that of our children and grandchildren.” (p. 9)
Lack of intellectual curiosity: “When confronted with alarming news, it seems we seldom ask, Why did this happen?” (p. 11)
Cynicism: “The cynicism surrounding us frightens me far more than outrage would. . . . Cynicism … undermines the foundations of our political system by leaving people with a sense that they cannot make a difference by getting involved. It is when we stop trying that both our system and our individual liberties are put at great risk.” (p. 14)
Then Boren argues that we are becoming “incapable of protecting our rights and democratic institutions, because we do not even know our own history. Americans are not educated about the ideas and events that led to the writing of our Constitution or about what generations have done to preserve it. . . . Those who do not even understand their rights will hardly be able to defend them.” (p. 9) He quotes a 2002 speech by Bruce Cole, then chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities, “A nation that does not know why it exists or what it stands for cannot be expected to long endure . . . We cannot expect that a nation which has lost its memory will keep its vision.” (p. 15, emphasis added)
So what are the solutions? We need to make sure that our children and our citizens understand our nation’s history and values—our “national story”. “If we forget it, we lose our vision, our identity, our national soul. Our national story unifies us, strengthens us, and inspires us.” (pp. 88-89) A quote from Thomas Jefferson further makes the point: “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free . . . it expects what never was and never will be.” (p. 91) Obviously Boren is talking about civic literacy and, as the current president of the University of Oklahoma, calls on higher education to do their part.
I liked the book because it massaged a number of my biases about the lack of civic education, civic literacy (or even a hunger for it), and civic involvement. I was disappointed in the book because it called me to action but didn’t help me identify what I could do to make the needed change happen.
My husband, Jack White, wrote this about the book: “Frankly, I don’t know how we can transform the special interest dominated political system we’ve allowed to develop. But along with David Boren I’m convinced we absolutely have to find a way. And I am convinced that finding a way and effecting the transformation will require the involvement and commitment of many of us cynics who all too often are sitting on the sidelines.” I agree.
Mary Hamilton is the former Executive Director for ASPA and is currently Senior Executive in Residence at the School of Public Administration, University of Nebraska, Omaha.
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With respect to a “disappearing middle class” as a threat to democracy- I completely agree. Greater income inequality results in greater economic segregation among neighborhoods. From a social capital perspective, this is detrimental to collective efforts to address problems within a community. The disparities among the rich and poor, the shrinking middle class, and the current economic crisis have also have a direct impact on the level and quality of public services available.
You also point out that “lack of seriousness” was listed as a threat to democracy. While it appears as if the economic crisis occurred overnight, there has been a gradual decline of the middle class—evident in declining mobility, increasing income inequality, and economic segregation. Of course, this was not interesting or newsworthy among most mainstream media sources until the past month or so. I am disgusted every time that I turn on Good Morning America or the Today Show and see reports about celebrities, new TV shows, new consumer products, etc. when there are more important events (e.g. war, executive abuse of authority, suffering among children and elderly, Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, etc.). For example, today I was informed about the new James Bond movie and how to carve pumpkins. Really!*&$%! With the recent economic calamity, the war, and a presidential race just days away! I should know better than to waste my time with the morning “news” stories. For some reason, I always hope that they will provide me with useful information rather than serving up the same old infotainment.
I will certainly add this book to my reading list.
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