A democracy only works when we hold it accountable to our shared values
A democracy only works when it reflects the shared values of its people. The USA succeeds because the people in it share the values of freedom, fairness, equality, and self-governance. However, when those values are not reflected by the government, the self-governed must intervene - through voting, running for office, advocating change, and sometimes, through protesting.
Right now, the shared values of a large group of Americans are being disregarded. When people were told that “we’re going to deport criminal immigrants,” most people who agreed with that statement at the time envisioned people convicted of crimes like theft and physical assault. Most people did not consider a person without a piece of paper to be a criminal. Most people would not agree that any force possible should be used to round up those so-called “criminals.”
In the USA, we believe that the spirit of the law matters more than the letter of the law. (If you don’t believe me, then consider whether you have reported all of your cash income to the IRS over the years. You will believe in the spirit of the law pretty quickly if you’re arrested for tax fraud.) Most citizens believe that people should be treated fairly. If immigrants live and work peacefully while contributing to society, most of us want there to be a path for that immigrant to obtain paperwork, especially when there are circumstances that prevented them from initially acquiring the increasingly difficult-to-obtain visa or green card.
Most citizens also believe in the importance of self-governance and the right of protest. Without advocating for and holding our elected leaders responsible for our shared values, our democracy weakens and may crack into a million pieces.
With concern, a citizen of the USA
P.S. A lot of us agree with the shared values that are reflected in the Bible, including me. Here are a few passages for us all to think about:
Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Psalm 82:3
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy. Proverbs 31:8-9
This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.’ Zechariah 7:9-10
Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow. Isaiah 1:17
Jesus said, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25:41-45
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:12-13
See also: Acts 10:34, Colossians 3:11, Deuteronomy 1:16, Deuteronomy 10:18–19, Deuteronomy 14:21, Deuteronomy 15:11, Deuteronomy 17:15, Deuteronomy 23:7, Deuteronomy 23:20, Deuteronomy 24:14, Deuteronomy 25:5, Deuteronomy 27:19, Ephesians 2:10, Ephesians 2:19, Esther 5:1–14, Ezekiel 22:29, Ezekiel 47:22–23, Exodus 12:48-49, Exodus 20:10, Exodus 22:21–22, Exodus 23:9, Exodus 23:12, Exodus 29:33, Galatians 3:28, Galatians 5:14, Galatians 5:22, Galatians 6:2, Hebrews 11:1, Hebrews 13:1–25, Isaiah 58:7, James 1:27, James 2:14–17, Jeremiah 7:5–7, Jeremiah 22:3, Job 31:32, John 3:16, John 15:12, Leviticus 17:8, Leviticus 17:10, Leviticus 19:10, Leviticus 19:33–34, Leviticus 20:2, Leviticus 22:10, Leviticus 22:18, Leviticus 22:25, Leviticus 23:22, Leviticus 24:16, Leviticus 24:22, Leviticus 25:23, Leviticus 25:35–38, Leviticus 25:45, Luke 1:37, Luke 3:11, Luke 10:25–37, Malachi 3:5, Matthew 5:16, Matthew 5:43–44, Matthew 22:39, Matthew 27:7, Micah 6:8, Numbers 1:51, Numbers 9:14, Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 5:10, Proverbs 19:17, Psalm 146:9, Revelation 1:1, Revelation 21:3, Romans 12:2, Romans 12:13, Romans 13:8, Romans 13:10, Romans 14:1–23, Romans 15:7, Titus 1:8, 1 Chronicles 2:1–55, 1 Chronicles 29:15, 1 Peter 2:11, 1 Peter 4:9, 1 Samuel 2:1–36, 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 5:10, 3 John 1:5–8
