Voice of Democracy Essay: "What are the greatest attributes of our Democracy?"

"This land is your land, this land is my land, this land is made for you and me."

Jaina G. Dotson

I've always been told how special it is to live in a country built on an idea. The United States

Constitution was created with the intention of birthing a democracy that would be for the people and by the people. Those documents taken alone, in a vacuum from society, seemed perfectly written. How could anyone disagree with the premise of "having justice, insuring domestic Tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity"? No one really can, and after stepping back, taking a wider look and examining just how these ideas played out in reality we have gotten ever closer to reaching a true democracy. The foundation of the Constitution is based on the idea of equality and fairness, however, in the entire history of our great nation's democracy, these values have not been upheld for all people. The idea of democracy formed in tenuous times, within a dichotomous personhood: the architects of the constitution, and those who framed the buildings on our land. The founding documents and our Constitution were written by powerful, landholding men, in protest to a monarchy and tyranny, yet constructed at a time when they also excluded the most vulnerable members of society. The word "all" did not mean all people because it wasn't written in the interest of people of all genders, economic classes, skin colors, cultural backgrounds, or racial identities.

True democracy is perfect in theory but its application could be problematic. But, this deeply rooted flaw reveals the best attribute of our democracy, which is that we the people have the opportunity to change it. The Declaration of Independence says, "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." We owe it to this freedom we have to stand up for our rights and make changes within our society.

We the people had the blessed privilege to vote for those who amended the Constitution and created laws to make this country more equitable. We the people demanded access to the full guarantees of the Constitution. After African Americans were freed from the shackles of enslavement and racial segregation, those who believed in freedom, and a true democracy for all used the power of our system to push for the creation of the 15th amendment granting them the right to vote and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. When women were unable to vote for a country they helped build, they seized the power to change. They pushed for the 19th Amendment which helped birth the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Although social barriers may make it hard to create immediate change, change is not only possible, it is the constant of our democracy. It is essential. This power to make change stems from the root of the founder's ideals, building possibilities to ultimately overcome the barriers, slowly but surely. No matter what threats that may come from tyrants, this nation can still live up to its highest ideals with the power of democracy. But, it will require us all to take the hammer and nail to uphold the structure of our frame, because this country's foundation is strong. To grow into the fullness of our potential, we must take the utmost advantage of our democracy's greatest attribute: the power to change.