Like many of those watching, I was moved by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries’ speech during the transition of the speaker’s gavel. It was a truly stirring performance, and enough to kindle the hope that at least some do still believe in fulfilling the potential of what this country can be, in spite of the enormous steps backward we have taken of late and our still very uncertain future.
My one problem, and this is through no fault of his, is that I keep hitting a record scratch at “…American values over autocracy…” What are American values? I’m not so certain that we can come to a consensus on that anymore. Liberty? Freedom? Pursuit of happiness? Equality? Decency and fairness? Individualism? These, and more, used to be listed among them.
But I think it’s pretty clear that a significant portion of our society only believe that you deserve equality, freedom, and liberty if you’re a straight white male who at least pays lip service to the Christian faith. A significant portion of our society no longer believes that treating their fellow man with decency is a laudable goal, if they ever did, and they feel no shame in behaving reprehensibly. A significant portion of our society has willingly forsaken individualism in order to worship in the cult of a failed reality television star who somehow managed to convince them all that he was a successful businessman in spite of numerous bankruptcies and financial losses.
When Congressman Jeffries speaks of American values, I know that he is referring to what they are supposed to mean. What many of us, including myself, want them to mean. What I used to think they meant as an American growing up overseas, and as a young airman determined to serve. What they’ve never really meant in practice but have the potential to be. This, after all, is what drove the founding fathers to the new world. It’s what has driven immigrants to American borders and shores for centuries; the promise these values hold.
I don’t know that we’ll ever realize the potential inherent in “American values”. I suspect not in my lifetime. But I suppose that the hope that we someday will is what democracy is all about.