Our democracy should be our highest priority

Having just read David Gunter’s piece “Daarstad sees disturbing corollary to dark past Oscar-winner cautions: ‘It could happen here’” (April 2017 issue of Neighbors), in which local icon Erik Daarstad recounts his first-hand experiences with Nazi forces in his native Norway in the 1940s and draws parallels with the 2016 election and its aftermath, I found myself feeling troubled, grinding my teeth, and wondering why the article impacted me so. After a few minutes of thought I discovered that there are two fundamental reasons for my angst.

First, Mr. Daarstad is correct that it could happen here. History is replete with examples of power politics that yielded immense human suffering such as the Crusades, the Inquisition, the Religious Wars in the 16th and 17th centuries, the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, world wars I and II, the Khmer Rouge killing fields, and Syria today among countless others. A mere 70 years of peace here in the U.S. since the end of World War II is certainly no guarantee that we Americans have collectively emerged into enlightenment that will prevent the horrid spectacle of “man’s inhumanity to man” (Robert Burns 1785) on a grand scale in the future, even here in the USA. Vigilance with an eye on history by common people is always wise, and complacency is all too prevalent in our society today, especially with respect to the resilience of our inherently fragile democracy.

Second, I am troubled by the implied assertion that our 2016 election, and the cited examples of extremist activity since, may portend a renewal of our dark past. It is not as if extremist activity has only now resurfaced. It has been with us constantly since the birth of our nation, through reconstruction, the aftermath of civil rights decisions and legislation in the 1950s and 1960s, and even during the eight years of the last administration. Our democracy, characterized by the rule of law at its foundation and the checks and balances inherent in our Constitution, though imperfect, has been the most effective bulwark against “man’s inhumanity to man” on a mass scale that has ever existed. As I see it, that democracy must therefore be prized above all else, and especially above partisan politics and the political winds of the day. It seems to me that the increasing polarity of our partisan politics is a reflection of increasing conceit among too many groups that now reject the verdicts of our democratic institutions. It has been said that conceit is the greatest of sins. Conceit and a sense of superiority was the mother of slavery and our Civil War just as conceit today is paralyzing our democracy. Far too many in our society today deem themselves superior to others, justifying their superiority with broad brush demonization and suppression of opponents for political gain. Such conceit characterized many of the alt-right during the last administration and today just as it does for many on progressive left today. Preserving our democracy should be our highest priority in spite of our differences while conceit and lack of the necessary humility to accept democratic results and move on is the real danger to our future.

I note that I do not attribute such conceit to Mr. Daarstad, for I do not know him well. In the few times I have met him, he seemed full of deeply seated humility in spite of his obvious accomplishments.

CHUCK HULBERT

Sagle