Opinion: Democracy is on the ballot in 2024. Choose wisely, says Fayetteville minister
Democracy is the No. 1 issue on our ballot this fall, and the politicians we vote for will either defend and protect democracy or dismantle it. Choose wisely!
Democracy is a form of self-rule and is not perfect, but it is the best modern system of governing that protects our freedom. In our democracy “the vote” is our “voice.” Absent the vote we lose our voice to hold politicians accountable for their actions. And if democracy declines, all Americans lose.
Democracy trumps any other issues under debate but it is often taken for granted. The Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol is a chilling anti-democratic example. So, beware of political leaders who want to undermine our constitution and suppress our vote. Beware of authoritarian-leaning politicians who demand immunity from equal justice under the law and who view themselves as the only ones capable of solving our problems.
Opinion I am a NC military spouse. Trump's disrespect of the military service is wrong.
Opinion She lied about NC public schools. Now she is campaigning to head them.
MLK, Bonhoeffer had it right: Oppose tyranny
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian theologian who opposed Hitler in Nazi Germany and was killed for his convictions, passionately believed in the right to oppose tyranny. Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. once said that “evil must be attacked by the day-to-day battering ram of justice.” Our vote is that battering ram in America! John Lewis insisted that “The vote is precious; it is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool that we have in a democratic society. And we have to use it.”
Neither inflation, abortion, immigration nor any other issue supersedes maintaining a healthy democracy. Without giving it our highest priority, all other issues seem moot. But when democracy is # 1, it undergirds our advocacy on other issues.
No politician will satisfy all of our voting concerns, but some are more likely to march us toward a more perfect and democratic union. Again, choose wisely!
Dr. Johnson is Pastor Emeritus at First Baptist Church-Moore Street in Fayetteville and will be a poll observer in the fall election.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Opinion: Fayetteville pastor — democracy trumps other issues